Maxym: I am a male, and males are not afraid.

by Patrick C. Notchtree

A small boy is left orphaned and traumatized by the murder of his parents and rape of his sister in war torn Grozny in January 2000. Taken in by Russian militia, he exacts revenge before being taken away and brought up in Russia.

As he grows up, he has to confront his sexuality and also his psychopathic desire to kill and the pleasure he gets from it. But his extraordinary talent makes him a valuable commodity and he is trained to become a ruthless assassin, yet a loving and likeable young man; an enigma fiercely loyal to Russia, the nation that nurtured him.

"He looks like an angel but kills like a devil."

One theme of the book is the bond between Ukraine and Russia. The book also explores being gay in Putin's Russia.

A story of one ordinary Russian family in the 21st century, and one extraordinary young Russian.

He becomes very wealthy very young but in 2022 there is a price to pay in Ukraine.

A novel inspired by true events.

Not suitable for under 18s or the faint-hearted.

768 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 9, 2023

About the author

Patrick now lives in the north of England with his wife and has his son and granddaughters nearby. Much of his life is reflected in the biographical trilogy "The Clouds Still Hang", so to repeat too many biographical details here would be something of a 'spoiler'!
The memoir was my first book. My fifth book is now out on Kindle and paperback, called "Maxym".

Reviews

[Duine · Rating 4 out of 5]

MAXYM

I begin my review by offering my encouragement and best wishes to Maxym for his final assignment. Just the guy we need.

This is a rollicking good book packed with action and a real page-turner. Maxym is quite as unvbelievable as James Bond, and almost as bullet-proof, and none the worse for that; he is an equally engaging figure with a private life that rivals 007's. Fried dumplings replace the more famous Martini.

What is unusual and interesting is the character's location in Russia, and although his flawless English is spoken in Italics, we read his native speech and see his view of his Russian culture through his eyes. How authentic this is, I am not in a position to judge, but it is very convincing, and refreshing to find oneself inside the head of someone who is not a blue-blooded English Biggles (look him up), and to see recent history in Ireland, America, Afghanistan and Ukraine from a rather different point of view.

At its core, the book is a reworking of The Clouds Still Hang with a very different ending, the plot centring around bitter experiences of loss and separation, and a series of repeated separations throughout the story. So traumatic was the initial loss of his murdered family that it turned Maxym into a ruthless killer with psychopathic motivation and autistic detachment

This is where I find the character of Max to be unconvincing. The repetitions of the story of his traumatic separation as a six-year-old, do nothing (for me) to alter my reading of Maxym's typically gay kindness and generosity, and concern for and understanding of other people. The accusation of being a psychopathic killer, and insensitive to others, actually runs counter to his behaviour towartds his family and many friends, and the regard they have for him.

Three-quarters of the way through the book is the sentence, 'Putin doesn't seem to me to be the kind of person who has pals.' There is the psychopath, in that one sentence; a description shared, ironically, with Donald Trump. Trump's traumatic origins devoid of warmth and sympathy give rise to him being the man we see (the public face of, at least). Putin, I don't doubt, has much in common with Trump. Both demand worship, not pals.

Maxym is very different, and all the indications are that he was wrenched from a family he loved and who loved him, to be adopted by Leonid, whose warmth he also enjoyed. I see Maxym's issues as more to do with anger than psychopathy. Conversely, I struggle to see in my mind's eye the image of Putin, Vladimir Vladimirovich, tucked up in bed with his childhood Bruno the bear supplying much-needed company.

So I don't find Max's enjoyment of killing or the supposed dark side of his personality particularly convincing, except as an expression of a deep anger that occasionally takes hold of him.

That said, it remains for me a thoroughly compelling read, the twists and turns managed skilfully enough to keep me reading into the small hours just to find out how the book ends.

[Tim Trent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathtaking set of adventures with a Hitchcock cameo role

This is a lengthy read, and hard to review without spoilers. I’ll restrict myself to the pace and characterisation.

The pace varies from domestic detail to extraordinary but believable adventures. We are left guessing until the end of the end.

The eponymous hero is crafted very carefully, and we’re never quite sure whether he’s a psychopath or not. The surrounding cast of characters are well drawn, with sufficient three dimensional characters for us to find more than one friend in the story. I never quite made friends with Maxym, the author has prevented us, rather skilfully, from liking him too much, though we care about him. Instead we’re allowed to make friends with his friends while Max is somehow set apart.

Well worth the read

[Alexandra Jazz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even know how to begin this message, because Maxym felt so personal almost like you were telling my own story. I cried through so many pages. The pain, the loss, the fight to still believe in love after everything… it hit me harder than I expected. There were moments I had to close the book and just breathe.

But I want to thank you truly for writing it. You didn’t just tell a story; you gave words to feelings so many of us carry quietly inside. Somehow, through all the darkness, you still showed the power of hope, and that changed something in me.

May God bless you for having the courage to write something so honest, and may He continue to give you strength, wisdom, and light to keep touching lives through your words

[Ptdog · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is powerful, in its own way, well told, and cleverly constructed. I enjoyed it very much. The characters had depth, and held my empathy. At times the story breaks continuity. That is around the secrecy of Max’s identity. But it was small enough to be overlooked. I highly recommend this book.

[Will Baxley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

This is a new to me author and honestly wasn’t expecting this book to be so Wonderful. I absolutely loved it. I was happy, sad, I cried and at another time I was mad. Max was so much more than I thought in the beginning. This story has action, adventure, intrigue, spice and love.

[F R · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read and very authentic narrative, one of the best books I've ever read

[James Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick, your storytelling balance is rare you gave us thrilling momentum and deep emotional truth. Maxym isn’t just an adventure; it’s a journey of identity and survival.The Forest Book Club

[Carolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

We just finished discussing Maxym tonight, and everyone agreed it’s a bold, cinematic, and heartfelt story that deserves a wider audience. The Forest Book Club

[Patrick Notchtree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got 5 star reviews on Amazon. I thought they would appear here too.

[Stephen Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad to have read "Maxym" - I know nothing about Russia. There was nothing, as far as I recall, nothing, ever mentioned about it, at my school, although that was a long time ago and the school itself closed down some years later. Should other books about Russia, its customs and way of life, come my way, I will certainly read them. Especially if they come ffron Patrick's pen.
"Maxym"; an excellent yarn; have read it twice and will probably read it again before long. It will be one of my favourites. His trials, tribulations and triumphs follow seamlessly, apart from an occasional hiccup where the text could have flowed more smoothly, as though the writer was impatient to get on to the next incident!