The Russian Renaissance (Sokolov Book 1)

Basically any of your adventure novels but in the Russian way. All the brownian mysteries and discoveries - but from the Russian history - with a long line of corpses and possible earth shattering implications... If people only ever find out, blah, blah, blah. The part that's annoying - is continuous addition of unnecessary plot twists. We get it - any one of the main characters is a superman - and we all know - they will prevail at the end, so each plot twist could become a separate novel. There was no reasons to waste 10 pages on perfectly good ideas for future books.

Read to learn about Russian history and read good fiction. well written with good character development Full of surprises and also full of action. Nothing maudlin about this read. would recommend to all my friends

With superb insights into Russian history and the Soviet, as well as post-Soviet psyche, the plot of The Russian Renaissance weaves a narrative that is equally entertaining, revelatory, and informative. Such a feat is only achievable by one who has a thorough grasp of tragic Russian history, as well as the human suffering and psychological trauma the people and their culture have been subjected to for centuries.

If one loves a good, compelling narrative, this book will be unputdownable. If one appreciates unique historical and psychological insights from works of fiction, this book is an absolute "must read!"

I can hardly wait to see what else Ian Kharitonov has, or will yet produce!

I started this book after a recommendation by Stephen England of Pandora's Grave. I had a little trepidation when I began, but that quickly faded as the story is so well written and intriguing that I could not put it down. Deep character development, great mysterious plot, fantastic action, and a lot of Russian history tied into the plot that it makes for one amazingly great read! It is a refreshingly different kind of read. You will not be disappointed by Ian's book.

The Author is an excellent writer, the story is somewhat intriguing but way too steeped in Russian history for my simple tastes, hence the three stars. A few errors in syntax that could be from conversion to an ebook...not uncommon.
But...IF you enjoy Russian history, then this is the book for you to sit back and become immersed in. If you enjoy deceit, double and triplecrosses, twisted plots and a bit of warfare, then you should enjoy this story.

Ian Kharitonov comes out fighting with a great story line and characters that I look forward to reading about again soon! I love that he's from Russia and he can describe places in such great detail. Love it! Buy it!

Wow. Obviously not written by a native speaker, although that could be fine if the author were a better writer. Read this for the Russian history, maybe. Although that part seems as though it was copied from another source and stapled onto the story.

I'm listening to the audio book which sounds like it was read by an algebra teacher from Kansas.

Great! Captivating! Hard to put down on a rainy afternoon. Doesn't end up the usual way. The good guy and the beautiful girl...? Different setting, different tech.. However if I read the words "Russian made" in a tome set in Russia any more, a star will be subtracted for each 3 times quoted !

Great read, thoroughly enjoyed it. As a fan of action thrillers, I've been a little disappointed with so many generic CIA and Templar stories, but this book came as a welcome surprise. Colorful settings, lots of originality and FUN. Brought back memories of the Cold War thrillers from the 70's or 80's. The characters are believable and not some superhero types. The last part of the book made me check Google Earth and I was stunned that something described in the book actually existed. Don't want to spoil it so you'll have to check it out for yourself. Highly recommended.

A well written, fast moving thriller which you cannot put aside once you started reading. A debut one doesn't see often. If you are into Cussler, DuBrul and Berry, this book needs to be added to your readinglist. Besides insides in Russia and its intelligence services, Ian shows a good sense for detail and action.

This is a marvelous book! Action/Adventure from the beginning and just pulls you in. Intrigue, suspense, history and the present all combined to bring this story line to life. Phenomenal characters and extraordinary scenery! If you are looking for a great book, look no longer.

The Russian Renaissance unravels a complex story with many interesting, well researched, aptly plotted, and beautifully described narrative and dialogue-based scenarios. At the start, the reader plunges headlong into a well-balanced script, in terms of the relationship between narrative and dialogue-based unveiling of the story. About 35% into the book the author digresses into a long-winded diatribe about the Cossacks and the Orthodox Church in Russia. As well, he spends an inordinate amount of time beating the dead horse of Stalinism. What he says may be true, but it has no place in the great thriller that takes up about 65% of the book.
Exposing a kind of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde dichotomy in himself, the author repeatedly destroys the well-constructed momentum of his otherwise beautifully orchestrated story in the dialogue-based part of his thriller by insisting on falling back repeatedly on his pedantic history lessons for those who are or may be ignorant of Russian history from his perspective.
The purely thriller aspect of the book repeatedly re-captured my interest and attention, after each expansive narrative-based exposition of his revisionist history. By the way, I started skipping the narrative passages because Kharitonov's proselytizing became tiresome; however, my anxious anticipation of the exciting thriller parts that inevitably followed the repetitive revisionist history lessons kept me reading the book.
This reader thinks that the author could chop about 150 pages out of the book, express, and build the same messages into the mouths and deeds of his characters without resorting to bashing the reader over the head with Soviet-style propaganda from a Cossack perspective. Be the great thriller writer you are! Forget the message mongering.

Okay so what is this book? A diatribe against Russia? An action novel? The author gets an A+ for defining how horrible his mother country was/is. And the action\adventure? Lost somewhere in the pages. This book has no soul. No likable characters. Sorry, must of been slim pickings at the Cussler Adventure contest. I am giving him 3 stars because of his youthful talent.

A conspiracy theorist's dream, The Russian Renaissance ties together history, suspense, action, and a brief environmental interlude as three main characters are drawn together by forces beyond their control. As Constantine attempts to solve a centuries-old mystery, his brother, Eugene, tries to protect Asiyah from the demons that chase them both. Amidst heavy artillery and merciless manipulation, all three of them become involved in a revolution that may very well change the course of Russia's, and Kazakhstan's, future.

The story jumps between all three relevant points of view, catching the characters just as they reach their "points of no return". Slow-moving, the author takes the time to introduce us to each one, elucidating personal histories and technical expertise. The information becomes vitally important later in order to understand motivations, reactions, and the reasons they were drawn into the complex web of intrigue that binds them. As a reader, I found it easy to relate to both Constantine and Eugene. They are likeable characters, and beyond that, they are more than fighting machines; they come across as genuine people, and I rooted for them through every last one of their confrontations with momentary enemies.

With that said, I had immense difficulty connecting with Asiyah. Something about her personality just never seemed to resonate, and several of her behaviors -- her sudden trust in Eugene, for one -- had me arching a disbelieving eyebrow. Even in moments when all seemed lost, my worry for her safety never reached the level of concern garnered by the Sokolov brothers. This may be a matter of personal preference, or perhaps she is simply less complex of a person than I am trying to make her become.

For history buffs, this book has a storyline that is well thought-out, weaving seamlessly into events ranging from the Russian Revolution to the constitutional crisis of 1993. For those with a less thorough grounding in Russian history, enough information is given so that you won't have to run off to the nearest encyclopedia in order to keep up. Even so, one of the story's greatest strengths is its ability to spark a reader's interest in real-life events, if only to determine the point at which the fiction begins.

Towards the end of the novel, things began to get dicier. Information about various artillery was presented as "information dumps", which left my mind slightly boggled and more than a little bored. Also, the reveal of the entire conspiracy and the subsequent actions felt rushed, and the final denouement played out like a written version of Call of Duty (or a similar video game). In short, the last thirteen percent of the book was disappointing after the first eighty seven. The quality of the writing was similarly inconsistent, with typographical errors, most commonly "Asiayh" for "Asiyah", and awkward sentences peppering otherwise fluid prose. A personal irritant was the lack of indented paragraphs, though I didn't dock any points for it.

As a whole, The Russian Renaissance comes off as an interesting take on Russian history. For those who savor slow-burning build-ups, interspersed with bouts of hand-to-hand combat, this just may be the book for you.

Hide and Read
(Review copy provided by the author)

I didn't know much about Russian history. Love the way Ian intertwines the history lessons through out the story. Did some minor fact checking on my own to be comfortable enough to believe that the historical background is factually sound. I've already purchased the second book and can't wait to get started. For anyone who loves a good action packed "Tom Clancyesque" type drama, this is a good read.

A very interesting book. I learnt a lot about the old USSR. Quite informative too. It is sad to note how "Aral" from sea became a pond due to wrong govt. policies and changed the eco system.

The author did a good job in explaining it all.

Action packed from the opening chapter to the spell bounding end, The Russian Renaissance is a rocking debut novel from an author we all need to keep our eyes on. Ian Kharitonov takes the reader through a refreshing and original spin on the Nazis looting of treasure during WWII. His two main characters, Constantine and Eugene Sokolov, are Russian brothers each caught up in a different way in this race to outwit a nasty KGB operative. The narrative is fast-paced and filled with vivid descriptions of a country that in many ways becomes a major character in the plot line. Renaissance is a breath of fresh air by a young Russian author who could become Moscow's answer to Clive Cussler; and considering the fact that it won the 2010 Adventure Writer's Competition Grandmaster Award sponsored by the Clive Cussler Collector's Society proves that point. You will thoroughly enjoy The Russian Renaissance, and will eagerly await Kharitonov's next.

Kerry Frey - Director of the Adventure Writer's Competition