“Ken Follett has done it once more . . . goes down with the ease and impact of a well-prepared martini.” —New York Times Book ReviewHis name was Feliks. He came to London to commit a murder that would change history. A master manipulator, he had many weapons at his command, but against him were ranged the whole of the English police, a brilliant and powerful lord, and the young Winston Churchill … young Winston Churchill himself. These odds would have stopped any man in the world—except the man from St. Petersburg.
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I guess I am getting too old for thrillers. I did not have the patience to wade through the book to find out the fate of the main characters. So I skipped to the end. Somehow the book did not grip me. Reading it seemed like a chore. Part of the problem is that there was no suspense about the Anglo-Russian alliance, which was the “McGuffin” for the story. Would it come off or could Feliks, the anarchist, kill Prince Orlov before the deal was signed. The problem is that we know that the Triple Entente was concluded in 1907, not in 1914, and it was not really an alliance. In 1914 France and Russia declared war on Germany, but Britain stayed out of the War until Germany attacked Belgium. It was that act that brought Britain into the War rather than the Triple Entente or some fictional alliance with Russia.
It was incredibly slow reading, too graphic in some respects, and not terribly well connected. I was happy to finish reading.
I enjoy Ken Follett’s books. His characters are very believable, he describes the events very clearly and there is no question as to what the motive is about .
A very good thriller.
a bit slow. Narrative felt as if it plodded along.
It’s OK, although not one of my favorite Ken Follett books. Plot of kind of forced. But an interesting look into the era in which the story takes place.
Book was original and kept me on the edge
f
Good read but not amoung Ken Follets best
Wonderful story about great characters in a very historical period.
Good book ..easy to read. But not the authors best…..
Ken Follett at his best!
Ken Follett can really tell a story! I even rather liked the villain of this one. I found myself thinking about the characters long after I finished the book. This novel earns my highest accolade–A Rattling Good Read!
It was just a good Ken Follet read. I’m a fan. The plot was interesting and the historical connection was good.
Loved Follett since Whiteout. Another fantastic book.
Woven around a historic setting in turn of the century Russia and England, the plot sheds light on the thinking of the political mind of the anarchist movement as well as the traditional methods of English aristocracy and the young Winston Churchill in their colonial chess-piece arranging of a Europe preparing for war.
The characters were so convincing that I went to research whether it was true history. Well written and paced historical fiction and Follett is a master.
not his best, but very good
overall it was a good read. some parts, especially the ending, seemed rushed
Great Read.
Spell binding