“Impressive.”THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLDSpanning 1800 years of Russia’s history, people, poltics, and culture, Edward Rurtherford, author of the phenomenally successful SARUM: THE NOVEL OF ENGLAND, tells a grand saga that is as multifaceted as Russia itself. Here is a story of a great civilization made human, played out through the lives of four families who are divided by ethnicity but united … but united in shaping the destiny of their land.
“Rutherford’s RUSSKA succeeds….[He] can take his place among an elite cadre of chroniclers such as Harold Lamb, Maurice Hindus and Henri Troyat.”
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
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Like Michener, I try to read Rutherford before traveling to a new country. Never fails to give me the context and history of a place in an thoroughly entertaining way.
This book was not well-written IMHO and I lost interest after 50 pages and quit reading. They style was stilted and the plot jumped around too much for my taste.
I learned SOOO much about Russia and all the areas this country included before the breakup of all the smaller countries. I felt that I needed a large map of the old Russia so I could keep track of all the areas the author is talking about. I have to commend Rjsska for undertaking the writing about the vast areas this country included. It was a …
Edward Rutherford gives you a big dose of history with some sugar. I liked the detailed history he puts in. I learned a lot about Russian history and culture; how the Russian people tend to think and somewhat why they are who they are. With the detailed history he brings application with through the characters and the story. I will read more …
I’ve read several book by this author and I always come away with a feeling of having a better understanding of the place he has written about. Good book. Glad I bought it.
This was a great view of the expanse of Russian history through the lives of ordinary people.
It was interesting and informative. I learned so much about Russia through the centuries and I better understand why Russia reacts to the world the way it does. The characters and following them through history was so entertaining.
I have always been fascinated by Russia so I decided to purchase this book. At first, I almost gave up on it but decided to continue reading. About the 20% mark I became hooked. I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn’t stop reading. Highly informative and the characters came to life even when I wasn’t reading it. Well written and worth the time.
I enjoyed ready this book. It is a long book, but the information on Russian History was well worth it. Author did a great job
This is a good Rutherford book, long and detailed and covering much of Russian history, most of which I was not familiar with. Interesting characters, realistic situations, a long good read. I wasn’t sorry though when it ended. Just long enough.
It’s long, about a thousand pages, but a good fictionalised account of Russian history told through a few families whose fates are entwined over the centuries. The story really picks up from the time of Ivan The Terrible onwards.
Loved every bit of it, would read it again. Rutherford’s books bring you right into his writing, real, believable, love his characters. I’m pretty sure I’ve read every book he’s written, he is awesome!!
This book provides an illuminating glimpse into the heart and soul of Russia through multi-generational cameos of people from all walks of life.
Very long and sometimes dense on internal Russian politics. I like his Princes of Ireland better
As usual, this book is written with well developed characters and a great storyline. It was hard to put down as are most books from this author. I throughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
Epic history of Russia in a highly-readable way.
Found it boring didn’t finish
Great historic novel aka Michener.
“Russka” is a long and intriguing historical fiction of Russia as seen through the lives of several families from Moscow to the Ukraine along the Volga. From ancient to more modern times, politics and racial variations color the whole as Rutherfurd lays out the tricky games and deals people pay…to enrich themselves, climb the social ladder and …
I’ve been reading this book for about one year. I haven’t finished it, but I am enjoying it. It’s very densely packed with historic information about Russia, so packed, at times it becomes mind boggling and I have to take a break and come back to it. I really like it, but it’s so rich, a bite will satisfy, and you have to space your tastes.