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Liked It “Keeps you hooked from beginning to end!” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “Having read The Winter Queen I picked this one up with great anticipation but was disappointed, My hero was not the lively young detective I had grown fond off but was a pale imitation. The perspective on the action was taken from a young self-willed girl who encounters our watered-down hero...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Keeps you hooked from beginning to end!”
Maeve wrote this review Saturday, August 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Having read The Winter Queen I picked this one up with great anticipation but was disappointed, My hero was not the lively young detective I had grown fond off but was a pale imitation. The perspective on the action was taken from a young self-willed girl who encounters our watered-down hero which was a shame. The plot was slower and not half as enjoyable as The Winter Queen. A bit sad that Boris has let me down on this occasion - but I will keep trying his other Erast Fandorin adventures.”
Christine B wrote this review Tuesday, May 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is an historical spy series. Lots of others to read if you like him. I didn't particularly care for this kind of thing so I don't expect I'll read any more. Well enough done for waht it is but not my cup of tea. All dash and elan.”
Jonathan J wrote this review Friday, February 6 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Just in case you're interested, this may be the 3rd book in the series in order of release in the United States, but it follows shortly after The Winter Queen in chronology. I do recommend it, but probably only if you've at least read The Winter Queen and enjoy the character of Ernst Fandorin. This book is not quite as good as Winter Queen or Murder on the Leviathan, so you may not enjoy it as much.
quinnsmom wrote this review Friday, February 8 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The story is set in 1877, while Russia is doing battle with the Ottoman Empire. The author begins by introducing one Vavara Surovova, a young Russian woman who is traveling dressed as a boy to meet her fiance who is a Russian soldier. Sadly, she is duped by her driver, who takes her to an inn, tells her he's going out to answer the call of nature, and takes off with her luggage, including money and passport. While she IS disguised, she is surrounded by an entire inn full of boisterous men, and has no money to pay for her meal. Just as she's ready to go into hysterics, she meets the most unlikely of saviors -- our own Erast Fandorin, who is also traveling to the regimental headquarters where Varya's fiance is stationed. They continue their travels & upon arriving, there is a crisis: Varya's fiance has been instructed to send a telegram with instructions regarding troop movements; but the telegram is sent with the wrong place name, costing the Russians many lives. It becomes a case of sabotage & treason, and Erast must get to the bottom of the mystery before the tide turns against the Russian army.
I liked it, and I've already read Murder on the Leviathan, so now it's The Death of Achilles”
“12/4/07-finished. What a wonderful book! Set in the late 1800's in Bulgaria during the war between Russia and Turkey, it begins by following a "progressive" strong woman named Varya who is going to see her fiance. Erast Fandorin pops into the story to rescue her and they proceed to the military headquarters. The book is complicated in that I knew nothing of this history, but with the help of Google Map I even was able to have in mind the geography of this location with its small towns and closeness to Constantinople.
StevePowell wrote this review Tuesday, December 4 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Oddly, I was reading the latest Bourne Identity novel at the same time, set in the same part of the world and there was even a similar Russian name invoked in both (Lermonov - a Russian poet - here, and Lemonov in the Bourne book. And both books turned on manufactured identities.”
“What a fun read! Praise on the dust-jacket is dead-on correct: the story is Holmesian, and the "novel ... does Christie, Collins and Conan Doyle proud." The Turkish Gambit is a roman à clef set during the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-1878. The great young detective, Erast Petrovich Fandorin, does his work among thinly disguised figures from the battle of Plevna. This is a very fast read: sparse descriptions, little character development. Very plot-driven, but so well done! I enjoyed this first brush with Akunin so muc h that I am changing my reading plans in order to catch the other three Akunin novels available in English before moving on. Highly recommended!
cmiller35 wrote this review Wednesday, October 17 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Bromfield's translation is excellent, and does not get in the way of a great story. ”
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