Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “The Kremlin Conspiracy” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

The Kremlin Conspiracy

(Marcus Ryker #1)

Joel C. Rosenberg (Goodreads Author)

4.22 · Rating details · 3,716 ratings · 429 reviews

New York Times bestselling author Joel C. Rosenberg returns with a high-stakes political thriller set in Russia.

Everything he learned to protect the president, he must use to take out theirs.

With an American president distracted by growing tensions in North Korea and Iran, an ominous new threat is emerging in Moscow. A czar is rising in the Kremlin, a Russian president fev ...more

Get A Copy

Or buy for

Kindle Edition, 480 pages

Published March 6th 2018 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

More Details... edit details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Kremlin Conspiracy, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

The Hobbit or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien

Christian Reader, You Must Read This!!

279 books — 102 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

4.22 ·

Rating details

· 3,716 ratings · 429 reviews

Filter

Sort order

Mar 16, 2018 Matt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

Joel C. Rosenberg is back with another stellar novel that explores the current international political climate with stunning accuracy, leaving the reader to wonder just how close to non-fiction the story might become over the next few years. Aleksandr Ivanovich Luganov is the prime minister of Russia in 1999 when numerous apartment bombs have been exploding across Moscow. With an ailing president, Luganov assumes the role and chooses Oleg Kraskin to be one of his senior aides. Kraskin, shocked b Joel C. Rosenberg is back with another stellar novel that explores the current international political climate with stunning accuracy, leaving the reader to wonder just how close to non-fiction the story might become over the next few years. Aleksandr Ivanovich Luganov is the prime minister of Russia in 1999 when numerous apartment bombs have been exploding across Moscow. With an ailing president, Luganov assumes the role and chooses Oleg Kraskin to be one of his senior aides. Kraskin, shocked by this, is honoured and admits in the early narrative to be dating Luganov’s daughter. He hopes to marry her in short order and broaches the subject with Luganov in the early chapters. Working with Luganov, Kraskin sees his boss assume the role of President of the Russian Federation with hopes of putting Mother Russia back in her place of prominence. Across the globe, young Marcus Ryker is living in Colorado and hoping to make a name for himself. When he witnesses the attacks on September 11, 2001, he sees a chance to serve the United States in its military efforts. A courageous mission sees him almost lose his life and he decides to find new (and safer?) ways to serve. With a wife and a young son, Ryker joins the Secret Service, hoping to find his niche. While Ryker is rising the ranks and protecting significant political players, Kraskin is back in Russia and watching President Luganov begin a game of political chess as he seeks to reclaim some of the old Soviet territories, with an eye on Ukraine and some of the other breakaway republics. Kraskin becomes leery of his father-in-law, particularly when even those closest to him seem expendable. A devastating crime in Washington forces Marcus Ryker to rethink his future, and pushes him to a crisis of faith, if only for a time. Ryker has much to offer, but is rudderless and drifting around in a mental fog. After devising a plan to strike three NATO allies and keep the Americans in the dark, Kraskin can no longer watch Luganov flex his political muscle. With the Russians prepared to begin their military attacks and armed with significant nuclear weapons, Kraskin must make a decision. Ryker is offered an interesting job that sees him use some of his past experiences, though no longer formally employed by the American Government. There, Ryker faces a decision could not only affect his future, but that of the entire US Administration. Can either man risk everything to save their respective countries from a nuclear End of Days that not even the Book of Revelation could have predicted? Rosenberg delivers a brilliant piece that fans of his novels will surely enjoy. As always, new fans will likely flock to this book, which may foretell an interesting next round in geo-political manoeuvres.

I have long enjoyed Rosenberg’s novels, not only for their content, but also because they have been close to spot-on with their predictions. He understands all the actors and the political temperatures, putting it all into a digestible novel for those who love stories ripped from the headlines. Here, Rosenberg provides what most will see as a veiled story of the rise of Putin in Russia, though there are enough vague descriptors to leave the reader some leeway in their interpretation. Ruling the country with an iron fist, Aleksandr Ivanovich Luganov proves to be not only a new Russian Czar, but also one who is prepared to poke the hornet’s nest in hopes of pushing the world to a new war. And while his predecessors may not have been ready to push the red button, Rosenberg creates this czar as happy to do whatever it takes, nuclear obliteration or not. Kraskin is an interesting character as well, though his timidity seems to work only at certain times. There is surely much to this man who tries to juggle his personal sentiments with the knowledge that his father-in-law is becoming a dictator as ruthless as Stalin. Trying to do what he feels is right may come at the ultimate cost, though Kraskin may be ready to lose it all, including his family, to save Russia. With both strong parallels and sharp contrasts, Marcus Ryker is the third central character in the novel. As Rosenberg shows throughout, Ryker grew into himself through a number of key life moments, all of which shaped the man he became. Like Kraskin, the reader is able to see Ryker’s development over the years through to the tumultuous climax of the novel. Personal loss and extreme emotional strain met Ryker head-on, though he never shied away from bearing it all in an effort to bring justice to a world riddled with disparity. The story is not only on point, but Rosenberg’s writing helps pull the reader into the centre; as though they are in the middle of each meeting, participating in every dialogue, and able to feel each sentiment the characters exude. Politically powerful, the ideological divide is clearly on offer, as is the attempt by Luganov to resurrect the Mother Russia persona in his own image, much as is being done currently within the Kremlin. Rosenberg is a staunch conservative and admits as much, but even he could not create a POTUS that would align with the Russian Czar and for that I am eternally grateful. We need some degree of fiction and this was surely a portion of the novel that does not parallel the current political situation. Rosenberg’s writing is some of the best I have read in the genre, though some readers will want fair warning that he also pushes a strong Christian theme throughout. Prayers, reference to Scripture, and even the occasional crisis of faith (whereby the character must turn to God and Jesus to overcome something). While I prefer to steer clear of this, Rosenberg has toned things down and no longer inculcates us heathen readers with seeing the Light as we try to enjoy a political thriller. Many of Rosenberg’s predictions in past series have come true, alarmingly not long after a book is released. If the same can be said of this piece, the world had best be ready for quite the showdown. Then again, should the US attack, who’ll be there to troll social media and corrupt another American election?!

Kudos, Mr. Rosenberg, for your thorough analysis and poignant arguments on this subject. I will recommend it to any and all who love a well-crafted political thriller, and hope your other series tempt them as well.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... ...more

flag 57 likes · Like · see review

Apr 05, 2018 Suzanne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

4.5*

Well dang. This book had a lot going on. Conspiracy and spying was just what you would expect. I was caught off guard on all the family dynamics. You had issues with the extended family, loss of loved ones, betrayal, etc. Even though it sounds like too much going on, it wasn’t. It actually added so much more depth to the story. I’m not too big on spy thrillers of sorts but really did enjoy this one.

My quick and simple overall: packed with so much! Great read!

flag 29 likes · Like · see review

Apr 02, 2018 Staci rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2018

Wow! Action packed!! Especially the final quarter of the book. At the beginning I had no idea where the book was headed, but the dual story lines kept my interest. Highly recommended for those that enjoy political novels awash in action and honorable main characters.

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Jan 06, 2018 The Real Book Spy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

See this review and more at www.TheRealBookSpy.com

Rosenberg’s latest thriller opens in 1999. A young Russian lawyer named Oleg Kraskin plans to ask the father of his longtime girlfriend, Marina, for his permission to propose to his daughter.

There’s just one problem. . .

Marina’s father is Aleksander Luganov, the former head of the Russian Federal Security Service, current prime minister, and the man chosen to be the next president of Russia.

Jumping forward a few years, twenty-one-year-old Marcus ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Jun 10, 2018 Skip rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, thriller

4.5 stars. Rosenberg has written another excellent thriller about an oligarch Russian President, dedicated to restoring all of the satellites for Mother Russia. Aleksandr Ivanovich Luganov, ex-KGB, rises to prime minister, when a series of apartment bombs give him the right to attack Chechen rebels, and lead to his election as President. He recruits a lawyer, Oleg Kraskin, his future son-in-law, to become a senior aides. He is horrified as Luganov plans an attack on the NATO-member Baltic countr ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Mar 14, 2018 Joan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Rosenberg knows how to create a political thriller that could very well parallel today's headlines. A Russian leader who wants to be a czar over a restored glory of Russia is pitted against an unpredictable U. S. president. With the existence of NATO on the line, an ex-secret service agent tries to prevent a possible global disaster.

I really like how Rosenberg has crafted his characters. The Russian president is a conniving man, lying to the public while secretly making preparations for military ...more

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Mar 07, 2019 ChopinFC rated it really liked it

Shelves: cia-thriller, series

The Kremlin Conspiracy had me intrigued from the first chapter till the very end! The book is a perfect blend of high-stakes political conspiracy and non-stop action!

Never heard of this author before. Went on a whim, or maybe because this was a 'freebie' from amazon prime :) Either way, the risk of reading an unknown author paid major dividends, as The Kremlin Conspiracy kicked some major 'thriller' ass, and had me flipping the pages like it was business!

The plot on its surface is very straigh
The Kremlin Conspiracy had me intrigued from the first chapter till the very end! The book is a perfect blend of high-stakes political conspiracy and non-stop action!

Never heard of this author before. Went on a whim, or maybe because this was a 'freebie' from amazon prime :) Either way, the risk of reading an unknown author paid major dividends, as The Kremlin Conspiracy kicked some major 'thriller' ass, and had me flipping the pages like it was business!

The plot on its surface is very straightforward, but Rosenberg goes through a myriad of mazes and manipulations to arrive at an intriguing international-high stakes/conspiracy page-turner that left me freaking breathless towards the end!

As the name implies, we have a few key players: Russia, U.S., and both of their respective presidents. Mirroring much of the socio-political landscape of our 'troubled' times, the Russian president was really 'Putin' with another name, and our own prez was Trump disguised with the name 'Clarke', hehe. The Russian president is quite machiavelical, and plans to invade the baltic countries, thereby weakening NATO and demoralizing the U.S. In addition, the Russian president is a conniving man, lying to the public while secretly making preparations for military expansion.The only problem, the russian dude is a fucking psycho and is willing to even engage in nuclear holocaust to achieve his imperialistic goal!

The story's pacing is just right, and the mounting tension in the story really had me hooked. Rosenberg is quite adept at characterization, and our main character, retired Marine and former Secret Service agent Marcus Ryker is recovering from personal tragedy when he will become front and center in this great conspiracy that threatens the survival of all mankind. Marcus is an honest, God fearing, country loving ex-mariner, and he's affable but also deadly. I could not help but root for the dude in the entire story.

The Kremlin Conspiracy was a riveting first book thriller series that will appeal to all lovers of action/thriller and high-stakes political drama.

4 1/2 Stars ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Apr 23, 2018 Kelly Lyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a hunker of a book and it is told in parts. So I am going to read one part at a time and then I am going to give a little summary or my thoughts of that part, maybe like a line or two and then move on to the next part. It is also told in dual perspectives which is sometimes a hit or miss for me.

PART ONE

We learn that a series of bombings is taking place around Russia and we are introduced to a slew of characters but the main character is named Oleg. He is a lawyer who has just been hired ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Mar 15, 2018 Laura rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, audio, christian, conspiracy, foreign, suspense, thriller

I enjoyed this book almost as much as the author’s other books. A lot of build up time to get backgrounds of the main characters made it a bit longish to me. Still, I look forward to seeing what happens in Book 2. There is a book 2, right???

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Mar 15, 2018 Mike Sarratt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Another thriller from Joel. Will there be a book two for the Ryker series?

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Apr 20, 2018 Christian Fiction Addiction rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Oleg Kraskin, a brilliant young lawyer who happens to be in love with the daughter of the Russian president, finds himself brought into the inner workings of the government, and privy to secrets that threaten to change the course of human history. Retired Marine and former Secret Service agent Marcus Ryker is recovering from personal tragedy when he agrees to accompany a U.S. Senator to Europe. When Oleg and Marcus' lives intersect, it sends them down a path that neither of them ever expected, p Oleg Kraskin, a brilliant young lawyer who happens to be in love with the daughter of the Russian president, finds himself brought into the inner workings of the government, and privy to secrets that threaten to change the course of human history. Retired Marine and former Secret Service agent Marcus Ryker is recovering from personal tragedy when he agrees to accompany a U.S. Senator to Europe. When Oleg and Marcus' lives intersect, it sends them down a path that neither of them ever expected, placing them in the cross hairs of a world power determined to do whatever necessary to see the rise of Russia to glory.

Rosenberg's latest novel is quite simply one of his best yet! The book is packed with non-stop action and a rising tension that found me gripping the pages as I devoured the story. The plot of the novel is absolutely chilling to consider as it feels entirely too plausible, that at any moment we could actually be living out the events depicted in "The Kremlin Conspiracy". Something I appreciate about this book is that the scenes taking place in the White House or at the Kremlin have a truly authentic feel to them. There are some novels you read where scenes or the dialogue seem somehow fake. Such is not the case here, however, as every moment feels real, such that you can experience the rising panic along with the characters that war seems like it could erupt at any moment. The novels serves as a call to the church, a call to pray and a call to stand for justice and for our governments to do what is needed to face down evil, whether in Russia or in other hot spots around the world. May God have mercy on us such that our reality doesn't unfold like the events of this novel!

"The Kremlin Conspiracy" is an incredibly well-written thriller and one that will please Rosenberg's fans to no end, while no doubt attracting new readers to his novels. I award this book a high rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher, Tyndale, for the purposes of this unbiased review. ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Mar 06, 2018 Gail Welborn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews

***former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum writes, Rosenberg delivers
“page-turning pictures of worst case scenarios…you pray never” come to pass.***

New York Times bestselling author Joel C. Rosenberg, well-known for writing prophetic fiction, releases “The Kremlin Conspiracy” March 6, a fascinating, multifaceted, multi-layered, political thriller that shifts Rosenberg’s attention to Russia. A nation of dynamic power struggles, tense political intrigue and collusion where the author “draws parallels ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Mar 19, 2018 Steve Sparks rated it it was ok

First, if you are anyone other than an evangelical Christian, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. Throughout there are numerous references to God, Jesus, etc. While they are not offensive, they are unnecessary and clearly the thinking of an author bringing up religion when it isn’t an integral part of the situation. Second, this book was downright boring in the first half. There was way too much character exposition, and they didn’t do anything. The third problem was the ending. I won’t give it away, but rea ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Mar 01, 2019 Karen rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I was a little surprised to see this one on my bookclub list, because we've never read political thrillers before (or at least I don't remember it if we did). Then when I picked up the book from the library, I was a leery about it, as I saw that it was published by Tyndale House, a well-known conservative Christian publishing house. As a progressive Christian, I am (perhaps) overly critical about Christian novels and movies, because I often find they are too over-the-top in their attempt to conv I was a little surprised to see this one on my bookclub list, because we've never read political thrillers before (or at least I don't remember it if we did). Then when I picked up the book from the library, I was a leery about it, as I saw that it was published by Tyndale House, a well-known conservative Christian publishing house. As a progressive Christian, I am (perhaps) overly critical about Christian novels and movies, because I often find they are too over-the-top in their attempt to convey a Christian message. You end up seeing characters who are unrealistic in their goody-goodiness. And the message tends to be very one-sided, with emphasis on conservative, fundamentalist views.

So, as I read this book, as I turned each page, I was anticipating the moment when the narrative would take that turn. Thankfully, it didn't come until the end.

Most of the book is a fairly straight-forward political thriller with fictional characters involved in some true events, such as the Russian invasion of Crimea. This is not my favorite genre, but thankfully, the descriptions of political events were not too drawn out or difficult to follow. There was a good balance between character development and stage-setting. The two main characters--Marcus (American) and Oleg (Russian)--are both men who love their families and their countries. Marcus is a church-going Christian who apparently considers faith to be an important part of his life. This attitude is generally portrayed in a very realistic way. He's clearly not a goody-goody, holier-than-thou kind of guy, just someone who tackles daily challenges with faith as one of his tools. Oleg is nominally Russian Orthodox, but religion does not seem to play a major role in his life. And I should give kudos to the author for not portraying him as some sort of demonic being because of this.

As I mentioned, the trouble came for me at the end. Marcus kills 12 Russian body guards in the process of aiding, abetting, and arming Oleg to assassinate the Russian president (who happens to be Oleg’s father-in-law). As the men are fleeing Russian via plane, Marcus has no regrets. He realizes that their plane might be shot down by the Russian military, leading to their deaths. And he understands that if he—as an American—is connected to the assassination, it could spark a war between nations. But he has no worries, because he knows where he’s going when he dies (presumably to heaven, because his sins are forgiven). His only concern is that he doesn’t know whether or not Oleg has “given his life to Christ” or “heard the Gospel clearly explained to him.”

Frankly, if I ever meet a man such as Marcus—who, Christian or not, shows no remorse or regret at all for killing another human being because he assumes his sins are forgiven—I will be more concerned about his psychological well-being than his spiritual well-being. And I have to wonder, is the author actually supporting the idea that killing one’s enemies is perfectly fine, as long as you’ve given your life to Christ first? Because that’s the way this scene seems to read.   There’s a cliff hanger at the end of the book, which either means there is already a sequel or that one will be coming soon. I loathe authors who do this. And I am not interested in the story enough to seek out the next installment. But for those who enjoy political thrillers, this one is not too shabby. ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

May 06, 2018 Molly Jaber (Cover To Cover Cafe) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-reads

I will be honest and tell you, this is not my normal type of book to read. I prefer romantic suspense or romantic thriller, not political thrillers. I am just not a big political person. That said, I have to say, Mr. Rosenberg is extremely, extremely talented, and really knew what to put into a phenomenally written novel. This book truly surprised me at how well it captivated me.

The great detail and research that Mr. Rosenberg has put into this novel is incredible. It really helped draw me to t ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 30, 2019 Rebekah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book was great - although not quite as thrilling as some of Rosenberg's books. I enjoyed the storyline, the plot, and all the unexpected things that took place. A couple things I did not like - some chapters were just plain boring (too much detail), I didn't like the references to drinking or alcohol, and there was also a scandalous affair in this book. All that aside, parts of this book were super exciting (especially the beginning and end) and I'm looking forward to the next book coming o ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 18, 2018 Susan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audible-com, audio-book, books-i-purchased

A wonderful author and narrator. Fast paced and intriguing. Looking forward to more by this author.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 13, 2018 Nick Woodall rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: novel, fiction, russia, history, politics, geopolitics

I read it in 2 days! Joel Rosenberg is one of the best authors on the planet. He writes a rip-roaring, page-turning, in-your-face-headline-making, phenomenal book! Is that enough adjectives for you?

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 04, 2018 Clay Davis rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A good thriller.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jul 17, 2018 Aaron rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Joel’s books never cease to amaze me. He ups the ante with each book. A great read for sure!

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Feb 22, 2018 Northumberland rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

New York Times bestselling author Joel C. Rosenberg returns with a high-stakes political thriller set in Russia.

Everything he learned to protect the president, he must use to take out theirs.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 14, 2018 Becky rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Enemy of My Enemy…..

Please read this review on my blog: http://bookreadingtic.com/2018/04/14/... Thank you

Two men, one American and one Russian, are unaware their lives are on a collision course with each other. Despite not knowing one another, different occurrences in the lives of each man brings the intersection closer. Marcus Ryker is a good-looking guy from Colorado who marries his high school sweetheart and starts a family. He is also an American Patriot and a dare-devil. Marcus has s The Enemy of My Enemy…..

Please read this review on my blog: http://bookreadingtic.com/2018/04/14/... Thank you

Two men, one American and one Russian, are unaware their lives are on a collision course with each other. Despite not knowing one another, different occurrences in the lives of each man brings the intersection closer. Marcus Ryker is a good-looking guy from Colorado who marries his high school sweetheart and starts a family. He is also an American Patriot and a dare-devil. Marcus has steadily advanced from an active combat solider to one of the members of the Secret Service guarding The President.

Oleg Kraskin has two loves, Marina and his native land, Mother Russia. When he marries Marina, he becomes the son-in-law of The President of Russia, Aleksandr Luganov. The president creates a job for Oleg, and as time goes on, Oleg is exposed to an increasing amount of secret information. Eventually he is trusted enough to be exposed to most of The State secrets.

Because of this, Oleg learns his father-in-law’s plans for Russia will cause the needless deaths of many of his countrymen. While the rest of the world is tricked into believing Luganov will help decrease weapons of mass destruction, especially in North Korea, Luganov plans just the opposite. Since Oleg knows the truth, he is frantic to prevent a possible nuclear war. But how can he do this without his family or himself being hurt?

This page-turner is a fast-moving story of intrigue that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The reader will be taken to the inside of the Kremlin, the White House, and the inner workings of a Senator--who would like to be the next president. In the midst of it all, Marcus and Oleg meet. At the time, they are unaware of the importance that meeting will be to their future, as well as, the world’s.

The author writes a very realistic story, one that will cause the reader to think, “this might happen!” The characters are shown in both their best and worst lights, and are believable. Even though some of the story takes place in dangerous or highly tense situations, the story is clean, wholesome, and written from a Christian point of view. This is the first installment of a series, with a bit of a cliff-hanger ending. I recommend this 5-star book to anyone who enjoys political intrigue, suspense or well-written fiction.

Tyndale House Publishing has provided bookreadingtic with a complimentary copy of The Kremlin Conspiracy, for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 23, 2018 Cheryl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Another Rosenberg winner - he is an amazing writer, he can take you to a place where you feel like you're actually in the story alongside the action. Once you reach a certain point you won't be able to put it down so get ready for an all nighter!

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Dec 22, 2017 Maria Eriksen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Joel C. Rosenberg does NOT disappoint. I could not put this one down! The culture of Russia and the characters offer a fascinating look at what could be a possible world power scenario. Joel will have you wondering how much this story, truly, could be reminiscent of what might possibly happen on our world stage in real life. Great book!

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 27, 2018 Rachel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Once again, he leaves us with a cliffhanger! Such a thrilling, fast-paced read. If you've never read Rosenberg, this is a great one to start with!

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 03, 2018 Sara Wise rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

** “(My grandmother) used to say, ‘Jenny, God always knows what we need, and if we’ll just trust him, he’ll provide from the most unlikely of sources.’ ” **

Fans of geopolitical thrillers will love Joel C. Rosenberg’s latest novel, “The Kremlin Conspiracy,” which takes on the political hotbed of American-Russian relationships.

With his newest story, Rosenberg steps away from his usual Middle Eastern theme to focus on new areas of drama within the world. As he writes in his Acknowledgements: “Afte ** “(My grandmother) used to say, ‘Jenny, God always knows what we need, and if we’ll just trust him, he’ll provide from the most unlikely of sources.’ ” **

Fans of geopolitical thrillers will love Joel C. Rosenberg’s latest novel, “The Kremlin Conspiracy,” which takes on the political hotbed of American-Russian relationships.

With his newest story, Rosenberg steps away from his usual Middle Eastern theme to focus on new areas of drama within the world. As he writes in his Acknowledgements: “After nearly sixteen years of writing thrillers about worst-case scenarios in the Middle East, it was time to shift gears and focus on new threats.”

“The Kremlin Conspiracy” follows the stories and rise of two men — American Marcus Ryker who was inspired to join the Marines after 9/11 and Oleg Stefanovich Kraskin, a man who rises through the governmental ranks of Russia after marrying the daughter of the man who would himself rise from Prime Minister to President.

Written chronologically, passing back and forth between each man’s story, “Kremlin” spans almost 20 years, beginning with mass bombings in Russia in 1999 and ending in the present. Oleg must deal with President Aleksandr Luganov’s insane ideologies to reclaim Mother Russia’s glory … at any cost. And Marcus must overcome the strain military life, and eventually the life of a Secret Service agent, takes on his family — as well as overcome incredible loss.

As each man faces trials in their lives, they must learn lessons about loyalty, faithfulness, overcoming tribulations and forgiveness. This story takes us through bombings, murder, assassination attempts, invasions and military coups — it’s a story that could be taken right off the front pages of our newspapers. It is so timely it’s scary.

Rosenberg does a great job developing his characters, especially Marcus and Oleg. You truly learn the “meaning of the man.” He also develops a great supporting cast of characters — from the crazy and power-driven Russian leaders, to Marcus’ military buddies who have also found themselves in the political arena.

But besides a great geopolitical thriller, “The Kremlin Conspiracy” also offers many gems and life lessons — the difficulty of balancing family versus duty; going through the valleys of life, yet knowing you are going to come out OK; the ability to “love your neighbor, not your work”; starting new chapters in life; forgiveness of one’s self and others; assuming (wrongly sometimes) that there is always more time; and the fact that we should never resist God’s plan.

Rosenberg reminds us, through a heart-pounding, action-packed novel, that God always has a plan for us … even when we can’t immediately see it.

Even in a new political arena, Rosenberg offers another great novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Based on the story’s ending, I’m guessing there will be another book coming. I’m certainly hoping so!

Five stars out of five.

Tyndale House Publishers provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jul 16, 2018 Rebekah Gyger rated it liked it · review of another edition

Political thrillers are not my typical read, though I do like to pick them up from time to time for a change of pace. And usually, Rosenberg's novels are a good fit. I had read and really enjoyed The First Hostage, fully engaged with the action and suspense that was unfolding. The down side of that novel for me had been the main character, who was not as engaging as the rest of the story. And my critique this novel is much the same.

Both Marcus Ryker and Oleg Kraskin play leading roles in the bo ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Apr 27, 2018 Vera Godley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The stakes can't get much higher than this political thriller set in Russia.

The story runs with two parallel story lines set in two vastly different countries and political atmospheres. Following the youth to maturity of a rising Soviet man and an American who serves in the military and secret service, Rosenberg brings the two together in averting a catastrophe of world shattering magnitude.

The scenario is such that it is mind-boggling to conceive that such action could actually occur or be cons ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Apr 30, 2018 Marie Bungard rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Intrigue and lies at the upper levels of world leadership... Men and women killed senselessly... Life choices... God's presence...

I don't usually like books of this genre. But The Kremlin Conspiracy had me from the first chapter. With well-developed characters and a storyline that simply doesn't slow down, I couldn't wait to turn the pages. From the mountains of Colorado to Russia's Red Square the action continually transports one into the lives of the characters.

Political upheaval is caus ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 03, 2019 Paula rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

With an American president distracted by growing tensions in North Korea and Iran, an ominous new threat is emerging in Moscow. A czar is rising in the Kremlin, a Russian president feverishly consolidating power, silencing his opposition, and plotting a brazen and lightning-fast military strike that could rupture the NATO alliance and bring Washington and Moscow to the brink of nuclear war. But in his blind spot is former U.S. Secret Service agent Marcus Ryker, trained to protect but ready to ki ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Girlfriends Book ...: March 2019 discussion book	2	2	Mar 09, 2019 04:34PM

Readers Also Enjoyed

Genres

Fiction

45 users

Thriller

27 users

Christian Fiction

22 users

Mystery

15 users

Suspense

14 users

Christian

10 users

Cultural > Russia

8 users

See top shelves…

About Joel C. Rosenberg

Joel C. Rosenberg

1,635 followers

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Note: This is a different person than the fantasy author, Joel Rosenberg

Joel C. Rosenberg is the founder of The Joshua Fund and the New York Times best-selling author of THE LAST JIHAD (2002), THE LAST DAYS (2003), THE EZEKIEL OPTION (2005), THE COPPER SCROLL (2006), EPICENTER (2006) and DEAD HEAT (2008) with m ...more