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The Romanov Conspiracy
From the internationally bestselling author of The Second Messiah —an intriguing thriller about an archeologist who discovers new clues to the mysterious disappearance of Princess Anastasia.
Glenn Meade’s electrifying latest novel combines the epic sweep and drama of a heroic quest, the passion and tragedy of Doctor Zhivago , and a majestic cast of characters that will stay with you long after the final pages have been turned. . . .
SOMETIMES MYSTERIES ARE NEVER SOLVED. SOMETIMES THERE ARE NO ANSWERS.
Dr. Laura Pavlov, an American forensic archaeologist, is about to unravel a mystery that promises to shed light on one of the 20th century’s greatest enigmas.
A member of an international team digging on the outskirts of the present-day Russian city of Ekaterinburg, where the Romanov royal family was executed in July 1918, Pavlov discovers a body perfectly preserved in the permafrost of a disused mine shaft.
The remains offer dramatic new clues to the disappearance of the Romanovs, and in particular their famous daughter, Princess Anastasia, whose murder has always been in question. Pavlov’s discovery sets her on an unlikely journey to Ireland, where a carefully hidden account of a years-old covert mission is about to change the accepted course of world history and hurl her back into the past—into a maelstrom of deceit, secrets, and lies.
Drawn from historical fact, The Romanov Conspiracy is a high-tension story of love and friendship tested by war, and a desperate battle between revenge and redemption, set against one of the most bloody and brutal revolutions in world history.
Glenn Meade’s electrifying latest novel combines the epic sweep and drama of a heroic quest, the passion and tragedy of Doctor Zhivago , and a majestic cast of characters that will stay with you long after the final pages have been turned. . . .
SOMETIMES MYSTERIES ARE NEVER SOLVED. SOMETIMES THERE ARE NO ANSWERS.
Dr. Laura Pavlov, an American forensic archaeologist, is about to unravel a mystery that promises to shed light on one of the 20th century’s greatest enigmas.
A member of an international team digging on the outskirts of the present-day Russian city of Ekaterinburg, where the Romanov royal family was executed in July 1918, Pavlov discovers a body perfectly preserved in the permafrost of a disused mine shaft.
The remains offer dramatic new clues to the disappearance of the Romanovs, and in particular their famous daughter, Princess Anastasia, whose murder has always been in question. Pavlov’s discovery sets her on an unlikely journey to Ireland, where a carefully hidden account of a years-old covert mission is about to change the accepted course of world history and hurl her back into the past—into a maelstrom of deceit, secrets, and lies.
Drawn from historical fact, The Romanov Conspiracy is a high-tension story of love and friendship tested by war, and a desperate battle between revenge and redemption, set against one of the most bloody and brutal revolutions in world history.
515 pages, Hardcover
First published August 7, 2012
203 people are currently reading
2996 people want to read
About the author
Glenn Meade
34 books398 followersGlenn Meade was born into a working-class family in Dublin, Ireland. After finishing secondary school he had a tough time choosing between studying theology or engineering, but eventually engineering won out and he studied telecommunications. Soon after graduating, he lived and worked in New Hampshire. He worked as a specialist in the field of pilot training—having had a life-long interest in aviation—and has also been a journalist for the Irish Times and the Independent.
While living in New Hampshire, he persistently tried to interview the famously reclusive author of CATCHER IN THE RYE, J.D. Salinger, an effort that only served to vex Salinger, who set his dogs on Meade, who luckily managed to outrun Salinger’s hounds and survive.
He began writing in earnest in the late eighties, when he wrote and directed his own plays, mostly for the Strand Theatre in Dublin, but Meade decided to turn his efforts to thriller writing in the mid-nineties.
His novels to date—SNOW WOLF, BRANDENBURG, THE SANDS OF SAKKARA, RESURRECTION DAY, WEB OF DECEIT, THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE, THE SECOND MESSIAH—have been translated into twenty-six languages, and have enjoyed critical and commercial success.
His first novel, BRANDENBURG, about a neo-Nazi resurgence in present-day Europe, came about when he travelled to Germany to write an article for the Times on the billions in Nazi gold that went missing at the end of the Second World War. Quite by accident, he met an elderly former SS officer who told him a remarkable and highly personal tale about his part in keeping a disturbing war-time secret. That story became the inspiration for BRANDENBURG.
Several of his novels were also inspired by his journalistic work but inspiration only takes you so far and Meade claims that to produce anything of worth it always comes down to the same three constants: hard work, prayer, and putting your imagination through the wringer.
Critics have compared the standard of his work to that of Frederick Forsyth, John le Carre, and Tom Clancy, and his stories have tended to be a tantalising blend of fact and fiction. SNOW WOLF won the prestigious thriller of the year award by the Japanese Writer's Guild (second place went to Stephen King's THE GREEN MILE).
He has also worked on several Hollywood scripts but Meade confesses that employment in Tinsletown was not a pleasant experience and he has learned to stick to the golden rule for novelists whose work is bought by Hollywood—gratefully accept the pay check, walk away and just pray that they don’t turn your treasured story into a musical.
Meade has earned a reputation for meticulously researched stories and has travelled extensively—to Russia, the Middle East, Europe—to research his novels. For RESURRECTION DAY, a highly realistic thriller about a dramatic attack on the US capital by an Al Qaeda terror group armed with a chemical weapon of mass destruction, and completed three weeks before the events of September 11th, he spent many months in Washington DC. He interviewed senior White House staff, former Secret Service agents, US Federal emergency planners, and senior FBI terrorist experts, some of whom were later involved in the hunt for Al Qaeda terrorist suspects on US soil. One former senior FBI source, John O’Neill, who helped Meade, was killed in the September 11th attacks, having resigned from the bureau only months prior to taking up a new post—as head of security at the Twin Towers.
RESURRECTION DAY was published internationally but Meade’s then New York publisher considered it too raw a subject for the US, coming so soon after 9/11, and they parted company. However, the work garnered rave reviews and much media attention in Europe.
Having read the book, Newt Gingrich, then a member of the Hart-Rudd commission (set up post 9/11 by President George Bush with responsibility for determining future likely terrorist threats against the US) was so impressed that he contacted Meade and kindly offe
While living in New Hampshire, he persistently tried to interview the famously reclusive author of CATCHER IN THE RYE, J.D. Salinger, an effort that only served to vex Salinger, who set his dogs on Meade, who luckily managed to outrun Salinger’s hounds and survive.
He began writing in earnest in the late eighties, when he wrote and directed his own plays, mostly for the Strand Theatre in Dublin, but Meade decided to turn his efforts to thriller writing in the mid-nineties.
His novels to date—SNOW WOLF, BRANDENBURG, THE SANDS OF SAKKARA, RESURRECTION DAY, WEB OF DECEIT, THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE, THE SECOND MESSIAH—have been translated into twenty-six languages, and have enjoyed critical and commercial success.
His first novel, BRANDENBURG, about a neo-Nazi resurgence in present-day Europe, came about when he travelled to Germany to write an article for the Times on the billions in Nazi gold that went missing at the end of the Second World War. Quite by accident, he met an elderly former SS officer who told him a remarkable and highly personal tale about his part in keeping a disturbing war-time secret. That story became the inspiration for BRANDENBURG.
Several of his novels were also inspired by his journalistic work but inspiration only takes you so far and Meade claims that to produce anything of worth it always comes down to the same three constants: hard work, prayer, and putting your imagination through the wringer.
Critics have compared the standard of his work to that of Frederick Forsyth, John le Carre, and Tom Clancy, and his stories have tended to be a tantalising blend of fact and fiction. SNOW WOLF won the prestigious thriller of the year award by the Japanese Writer's Guild (second place went to Stephen King's THE GREEN MILE).
He has also worked on several Hollywood scripts but Meade confesses that employment in Tinsletown was not a pleasant experience and he has learned to stick to the golden rule for novelists whose work is bought by Hollywood—gratefully accept the pay check, walk away and just pray that they don’t turn your treasured story into a musical.
Meade has earned a reputation for meticulously researched stories and has travelled extensively—to Russia, the Middle East, Europe—to research his novels. For RESURRECTION DAY, a highly realistic thriller about a dramatic attack on the US capital by an Al Qaeda terror group armed with a chemical weapon of mass destruction, and completed three weeks before the events of September 11th, he spent many months in Washington DC. He interviewed senior White House staff, former Secret Service agents, US Federal emergency planners, and senior FBI terrorist experts, some of whom were later involved in the hunt for Al Qaeda terrorist suspects on US soil. One former senior FBI source, John O’Neill, who helped Meade, was killed in the September 11th attacks, having resigned from the bureau only months prior to taking up a new post—as head of security at the Twin Towers.
RESURRECTION DAY was published internationally but Meade’s then New York publisher considered it too raw a subject for the US, coming so soon after 9/11, and they parted company. However, the work garnered rave reviews and much media attention in Europe.
Having read the book, Newt Gingrich, then a member of the Hart-Rudd commission (set up post 9/11 by President George Bush with responsibility for determining future likely terrorist threats against the US) was so impressed that he contacted Meade and kindly offe
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
August 17, 2012
Oh my word! I've been enthralled with the tragedy of the Romanovs since my early teens, so I anxiously looked forward to MEADE's version of the events of that dark night. I expected adventure, action, and a tinge of romance. And I sure wasn't let down! What I didn't expect was to be on the edge of my seat. I mean--c'mon--we know how this story ends, right? But who wants to read THAT ending (I've done that through numerous history books, etc.)? I started worrying as the book neared its end. Would he go *there*? Would MEADE leave us hanging? Would it be cheesy, or unrealistic?
I am delighted to say MEADE pulled it off and left me nearly giddy, teary-eyed, and really wanting to read more.
There were a few detractors to this story for me, but most of them were writerly things. However, there was one element I feel I should mention--and that's the seemingly cavalier attitude about sex outside marriage during wartime. Nothing is on-stage, but more than one character remarked along the lines that "Hey, it's war. It's a natural instinct. It's okay." To me, that was an atrocious justification/excuse.
THAT SAID--it did not impinge on this story's brilliance. It's poignant and heart-gripping! Very, very well done. I am impressed and satisfied! I'd rate it 4.75 stars, if I could. LOL
*I received a copy from Howard in exchange for an honest review.
I am delighted to say MEADE pulled it off and left me nearly giddy, teary-eyed, and really wanting to read more.
There were a few detractors to this story for me, but most of them were writerly things. However, there was one element I feel I should mention--and that's the seemingly cavalier attitude about sex outside marriage during wartime. Nothing is on-stage, but more than one character remarked along the lines that "Hey, it's war. It's a natural instinct. It's okay." To me, that was an atrocious justification/excuse.
THAT SAID--it did not impinge on this story's brilliance. It's poignant and heart-gripping! Very, very well done. I am impressed and satisfied! I'd rate it 4.75 stars, if I could. LOL
*I received a copy from Howard in exchange for an honest review.
November 28, 2017
The Basics
2.65 stars
It was 3 stars until about page 400, where the flaws in this book seemed to become more pronounced. The thing is, though, I saw potential in this book but I never got into it enough to see it come through. It was confusing. The characters were all kind of shallow. They used the same strategies over and over again, yet somehow magically escaped. Like a lot of books, at least the writing was good though.
Trope Check
*one-dimensional villains
*Evil Russians
*"Anastasia survived"
*"Anastasia had a lover"
Full Rant
This is also a book that is not what it seems to be.Think Tsarina, but with a lot of extra subplots, testosterone, a body count of at least thirty, and minus the magic but still with a whole lot of logic issues. It could've been this:
but it ended up like a bit of this
and characters that made me feel like this
In regards to the actual plot, it is about a group of mainly middle-aged white men running around Russia and Ireland, shooting things, avoiding underdeveloped "reds" who twirl their mustaches and occasionally spouting TFIOS-esque philosophical quotes about love. There was also this one thing in the writing that annoyed me: how he wrote like "Joe said, 'blah blah blah'" instead of "'blah blah blah,' Joe said." It might have something to do with the fact the author is Irish, but I mean "The captain thought,That's rich. Kazan didn't take long to change allegiance."
The Romanovs are inaccurately portrayed, though hardly portrayed at all, and the conspiracy is a bit ridiculous. Anastasia RomanovA was most likely not a "brilliant pianist" who alternated between mature conversation and childish pranks as an adolescent. And even though Meade could have used Maria instead, he had to use Anastasia because otherwise no one will know what he's talking about and it's not like he can't just explain to everyone that even though Anastasia's the famous one and all that, it was actually Maria that survived and all. After all, there was a pretender who might have been Maria living in South Africa at one point, and it just makes more sense for those who know about the personalities of the sisters. (There's a scene where Anastasia, who is always the one in Romanov fiction to have some secret lover - even though she was by far the least romantic of the four sisters - is talking about said secret lover while Maria tries to talk sense into her, even though it would be more realistic the other way around.)
I'll get back to the criticism later, but I did find some good things about this book. It didn't do the whole "Russia is a land of magical unicorns and snow and ballet where everyone partied until the Bolsheviks took over" thing that an awful lot of western writers use in novels about the Romanovs (ahem, ahem Tsarina)
Now onto more criticism.
Meade can write an action scene, but his romances and his female characters are not all too good. There's that annoying "strong female but suddenly vulnerable around men" thing that happens with both Anastasia and Lydia, a decent but cheesy "fiery redhead Irish girl" character.
1. It calls St. Petersburg St. Petersburg instead of Petrograd, which is the name it was changed to in 1914 during the war with Germany.
2. It doesn't put the proper -a at the end of the Russian female surnames (surnames ending in -sky become -skaya, but that was not a problem for this one). Hanna Volkov should be Hanna Volkova, the Grand Duchesses should have the surname Romanova, and Yakov's mother should be Maria Yakova.
3. It makes the mistake of thinking the Romanovs thought the Whites would rescue them. Around the time they moved to Ekaterinburg, they knew if the Whites came, their captors would kill them.
So in conclusion, this is not about Romanovs or a conspiracy. It's a decent book if you like a fairly brainless thriller and don't mind a body count of at least thirty, but other than that, I would pass on this one.
2.65 stars
It was 3 stars until about page 400, where the flaws in this book seemed to become more pronounced. The thing is, though, I saw potential in this book but I never got into it enough to see it come through. It was confusing. The characters were all kind of shallow. They used the same strategies over and over again, yet somehow magically escaped. Like a lot of books, at least the writing was good though.
Trope Check
*one-dimensional villains
*Evil Russians
*"Anastasia survived"
*"Anastasia had a lover"
Full Rant
This is also a book that is not what it seems to be.Think Tsarina, but with a lot of extra subplots, testosterone, a body count of at least thirty, and minus the magic but still with a whole lot of logic issues. It could've been this:
but it ended up like a bit of this
and characters that made me feel like this
In regards to the actual plot, it is about a group of mainly middle-aged white men running around Russia and Ireland, shooting things, avoiding underdeveloped "reds" who twirl their mustaches and occasionally spouting TFIOS-esque philosophical quotes about love. There was also this one thing in the writing that annoyed me: how he wrote like "Joe said, 'blah blah blah'" instead of "'blah blah blah,' Joe said." It might have something to do with the fact the author is Irish, but I mean "The captain thought,That's rich. Kazan didn't take long to change allegiance."
The Romanovs are inaccurately portrayed, though hardly portrayed at all, and the conspiracy is a bit ridiculous. Anastasia RomanovA was most likely not a "brilliant pianist" who alternated between mature conversation and childish pranks as an adolescent. And even though Meade could have used Maria instead, he had to use Anastasia because otherwise no one will know what he's talking about and it's not like he can't just explain to everyone that even though Anastasia's the famous one and all that, it was actually Maria that survived and all. After all, there was a pretender who might have been Maria living in South Africa at one point, and it just makes more sense for those who know about the personalities of the sisters. (There's a scene where Anastasia, who is always the one in Romanov fiction to have some secret lover - even though she was by far the least romantic of the four sisters - is talking about said secret lover while Maria tries to talk sense into her, even though it would be more realistic the other way around.)
I'll get back to the criticism later, but I did find some good things about this book. It didn't do the whole "Russia is a land of magical unicorns and snow and ballet where everyone partied until the Bolsheviks took over" thing that an awful lot of western writers use in novels about the Romanovs (ahem, ahem Tsarina)
"With its glorious Winter Palace, broad boulevards and leafy parks, St. Petersburg was one of the most beautiful cities on earth, the Paris of the North.And then there was one, and only one really good line in the book.
But there was another St. Petersburg, a squalid capital of filthy backstreets, crime and poverty, where thousands of working families were crammed into crumbling tenements owned by rich landlords."
And then it sounded as if a terrible wound had opened and Yakov threw back his head and screamed, a haunting shriek of anguish that came from the very depths of his soul and seemed to echo without end in the frozen darkness.Despite that, from this point on in the book, Yakov becomes a much less realistic or likable character.
Now onto more criticism.
Meade can write an action scene, but his romances and his female characters are not all too good. There's that annoying "strong female but suddenly vulnerable around men" thing that happens with both Anastasia and Lydia, a decent but cheesy "fiery redhead Irish girl" character.
And as much of a tomboy as she was, he sensed her vulnerability.I was also extremely annoyed by the villains in this book. They were incredibly shallow and spent a lot of time twirling their nonexistent mustaches.
Boyle joined him. "I'd say that was me. She's a fiery lass. It's the Spanish blood in the Irish, I always say. They're the Latins of the North and thrive on a good argument. "
The man let out a tiny gasp as Mersk reeled him in close. "Who asked you what to think?"And then a few pages later...
The guard wheezed. "You... you're choking me."
"Next time I will." Mersk pushed the man away, releasing the whip.
Mersk sneered, tossed aside the nagaika, and withdrew a frightening-looking double-sided Cossack dagger, the blade flashing. "It's time I finished this once and for all. I'm going to skin you alive, Andrev."This book also makes three common mistakes I've found in Romanov fiction.Once and for all? really? I've only watched like three Disney movies, but I already know how cliche that is.
Not to mention this."Electricity can light up a room," Kazan remarked to Yakov. "But I prefer its other uses. The painful kind that can loosen a man's tongue."
I was also not very fond of our two primary characters. Andrev was kind of blank and I found Yakov's shifts a bit underdeveloped, as were all of the characters. It might be something to do with the way the suspense genre works, though, which probably means I won't be reading these kinds of books again any time soon. There were also a lot of scenes where they have some stupid way of escaping or something that probably would never actually work. Andrev also sometimes seems like a hypocrite, threatening people with death and all, not to mention he kills a guy by hitting him with a hot samovar.
Near the end of the book, there begins an onset of TFIOS-esque philosophical things that could have sounded good, only they sound cheesy"You want to shut out the world and wait for the darkness to pass. But when you open your eyes, you find that nothing's changed. It never does."
"Can I tell you something? I think you're right. Our hearts are big enough to love more than one person in a life. I just wish we'd met in another time, another place."
"He said that whenever we're offered love, we should accept it. Wherever we encounter tenderness, we should embrace it."
1. It calls St. Petersburg St. Petersburg instead of Petrograd, which is the name it was changed to in 1914 during the war with Germany.
2. It doesn't put the proper -a at the end of the Russian female surnames (surnames ending in -sky become -skaya, but that was not a problem for this one). Hanna Volkov should be Hanna Volkova, the Grand Duchesses should have the surname Romanova, and Yakov's mother should be Maria Yakova.
3. It makes the mistake of thinking the Romanovs thought the Whites would rescue them. Around the time they moved to Ekaterinburg, they knew if the Whites came, their captors would kill them.
So in conclusion, this is not about Romanovs or a conspiracy. It's a decent book if you like a fairly brainless thriller and don't mind a body count of at least thirty, but other than that, I would pass on this one.
December 28, 2016
I liked this one. Very good story interwoven with real events really well. Must read. I was lucky to have bought this in a promotion for 99c.
June 13, 2022
5 sterren - Nederlandse paperback
Weest gewaarschuwd als je dit boek wilt lezen: je wordt met grote kracht het verhaal ingezogen, ondergaat een rollercoaster van spanning en emoties en komt pas weer bij als je het boek uit hebt. Glenn Meade beschrijft op fabuleuze wijze hoe, in de vorige eeuw, de moord op de tsarenfamilie Romanov plaatsgevonden zou kunnen hebben. En de pogingen van binnen en buiten Rusland om dat te verhinderen. Kortom: weer een weergaloze "Glenn Meade"
Het boek stond al jaren op mijn verlanglijst om te lezen. Deze maand kwam het er van. Ik las het in 'e'en adem uit. Dom dat ik er niet eerder aan begonnen ben. Een goede schrijver gecombineerd met een historische context over de moord op de tsarenfamilie in 1917, maakte dat ik veel plezier aan dit boek heb beleefd.
Weest gewaarschuwd als je dit boek wilt lezen: je wordt met grote kracht het verhaal ingezogen, ondergaat een rollercoaster van spanning en emoties en komt pas weer bij als je het boek uit hebt. Glenn Meade beschrijft op fabuleuze wijze hoe, in de vorige eeuw, de moord op de tsarenfamilie Romanov plaatsgevonden zou kunnen hebben. En de pogingen van binnen en buiten Rusland om dat te verhinderen. Kortom: weer een weergaloze "Glenn Meade"
Het boek stond al jaren op mijn verlanglijst om te lezen. Deze maand kwam het er van. Ik las het in 'e'en adem uit. Dom dat ik er niet eerder aan begonnen ben. Een goede schrijver gecombineerd met een historische context over de moord op de tsarenfamilie in 1917, maakte dat ik veel plezier aan dit boek heb beleefd.
August 23, 2021
Wow! What a journey.
While this novel begins and ends in current day, the vast majority occurs in 1918 Russia. The author shares at the beginning of this 515 page tale that much in the pages is based on fact. This is only my second Glenn Meade novel, but I love the way he weaves a riveting story line with factual events.
The Romanov Conspiracy is primarily about a rescue attempt of the Romanov family and the events leading up to it. Initially, I was pulled into the novel, but didn't get fully absorbed until about 100 pages in. The final chapters were intense and pages were flying. Speaking of chapters, loved the short chapters.
While this novel begins and ends in current day, the vast majority occurs in 1918 Russia. The author shares at the beginning of this 515 page tale that much in the pages is based on fact. This is only my second Glenn Meade novel, but I love the way he weaves a riveting story line with factual events.
The Romanov Conspiracy is primarily about a rescue attempt of the Romanov family and the events leading up to it. Initially, I was pulled into the novel, but didn't get fully absorbed until about 100 pages in. The final chapters were intense and pages were flying. Speaking of chapters, loved the short chapters.
August 7, 2012
Before I get into my review, I just have to say this is incredible. Go buy this today.
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimers: I received an arc of this book from the publisher, Howard Books (a division of Simon and Schuster) in exchange for my honest opinion.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: Wow! Just wow! That's all I really need to say about this book. I adored everything about this book. It is easily one of my favorites of the year.
I feel like the synopsis accurately describes maybe 18% of the novel if not less. In the first thirty pages, Dr. Pavlov does discover two bodies perfectly preserved in permafrost that leads to her discovery of the Romanov conspiracy; however, most of the novel is told as if the characters from 1918 were telling the story themselves.
The first thirty pages were great, but not spectacular. The rest of the novel was mind-blowing.
I absolutely adored the story that Meade created because it was gripping, compelling, and addicting. I didn't just devour this book, the novel consumed me. I couldn't think of anything else. I read for hours and then realized I hadn't eaten all day. However, I couldn't stop reading.
I loved all of the characters in this novel. I won't take the time to list them. But they all seemed so realistic. They didn't all get the happy ending I wanted them to have either, which made Meade's novel more realistic and also more heart-breaking.
I could gush about this book for hours. But I'm just going to say I adored this book. Don't just read this one, buy this one. You will absolutely adore it. I love mystery, thriller, action books and this book ranks among the best I've ever read.
In Summary: I can't find the words to adequately express how truly incredible this book is. This book consumed me. I couldn't think of anything else. Definitely worth buying.
The Wrap-up: This book was one that I was sad to finish. It was so incredible that I couldn't bear the thought of parting with it. I will definitely be stalking...I mean keeping tabs on...this author. In case you can't tell, I LOVE LOVE LOVED this novel. Go buy it right now!
Love,
Danica Page
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimers: I received an arc of this book from the publisher, Howard Books (a division of Simon and Schuster) in exchange for my honest opinion.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: Wow! Just wow! That's all I really need to say about this book. I adored everything about this book. It is easily one of my favorites of the year.
I feel like the synopsis accurately describes maybe 18% of the novel if not less. In the first thirty pages, Dr. Pavlov does discover two bodies perfectly preserved in permafrost that leads to her discovery of the Romanov conspiracy; however, most of the novel is told as if the characters from 1918 were telling the story themselves.
The first thirty pages were great, but not spectacular. The rest of the novel was mind-blowing.
I absolutely adored the story that Meade created because it was gripping, compelling, and addicting. I didn't just devour this book, the novel consumed me. I couldn't think of anything else. I read for hours and then realized I hadn't eaten all day. However, I couldn't stop reading.
I loved all of the characters in this novel. I won't take the time to list them. But they all seemed so realistic. They didn't all get the happy ending I wanted them to have either, which made Meade's novel more realistic and also more heart-breaking.
I could gush about this book for hours. But I'm just going to say I adored this book. Don't just read this one, buy this one. You will absolutely adore it. I love mystery, thriller, action books and this book ranks among the best I've ever read.
In Summary: I can't find the words to adequately express how truly incredible this book is. This book consumed me. I couldn't think of anything else. Definitely worth buying.
The Wrap-up: This book was one that I was sad to finish. It was so incredible that I couldn't bear the thought of parting with it. I will definitely be stalking...I mean keeping tabs on...this author. In case you can't tell, I LOVE LOVE LOVED this novel. Go buy it right now!
Love,
Danica Page
July 9, 2012
This was a great retelling of what happened in Russia when the Czar and his family were kidnapped and held in Ekaterinburg. So many live and vibrant characters from the Princess Anastasia and Sorg, to the people who tried to save her from the fateful night in 1918. You get to see what these people did to try to save the Romanov's. While Dr. Pavlov is doing a dig in Russia she stumbles across a frozen person with keys to a long ago mystery she seeks out someone who sent her on this path, and in so she learns so much about the people who had nothing left to loose. Definitely a gripping thriller and that had me pulled in until I could put it down. Took four days off and on to read this book. I don't know that any review can do it justice it's that good a book. Can't wait to see what Mr. Meade comes up with next!
August 1, 2012
From the beginning of this book I was captivated! I had to know who the bodies where that were found. Glenn does an excellent job of spinning a web and keeping you glued to the pages. I have always been interested in the Romanov's and this book added to my appetite. It is definitely fast moving and will keep you up reading late into the night! Highly recommended!
September 19, 2012
“The Romanov Conspiracy” by Glenn Meade, published by Howard Books.
Category – Historical Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
This is a book for the Historical Fiction addict and the Mystery/Thriller addict that enjoys conspiracy, action, and fact woven into fiction. There are many stories surrounding the death of the Romanovs but none can compare to “The Romanov Conspiracy”. This is a well researched book that is more fact than fiction, and it’s up to the reader to determine what is and what isn’t. Embedded in all of this is the story of Anna Anderson who claimed to be the Princess Anastasia.
A daring rescue has been put into motion to get the Romanov family out of Russia. The participants are an unlikely mixture of a Canadian, an expatriated Russian, a Brit, and an American. They well know of the dangers that exist, and the chances of their coming back are not good. This fact/fiction tale is loaded with deceit and unexpected turns on every page, sometimes it is difficult to tell whose side one is one. It is also difficult to determine the motives for some of their actions.
A chilling account is given of the night of the Romanov murders and its aftermath.
The final chapter is an attempt at substantiating the premises in the book by contacting people who would have knowledge of what happened that fateful night.
A book not to be missed!!!!!
Category – Historical Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
This is a book for the Historical Fiction addict and the Mystery/Thriller addict that enjoys conspiracy, action, and fact woven into fiction. There are many stories surrounding the death of the Romanovs but none can compare to “The Romanov Conspiracy”. This is a well researched book that is more fact than fiction, and it’s up to the reader to determine what is and what isn’t. Embedded in all of this is the story of Anna Anderson who claimed to be the Princess Anastasia.
A daring rescue has been put into motion to get the Romanov family out of Russia. The participants are an unlikely mixture of a Canadian, an expatriated Russian, a Brit, and an American. They well know of the dangers that exist, and the chances of their coming back are not good. This fact/fiction tale is loaded with deceit and unexpected turns on every page, sometimes it is difficult to tell whose side one is one. It is also difficult to determine the motives for some of their actions.
A chilling account is given of the night of the Romanov murders and its aftermath.
The final chapter is an attempt at substantiating the premises in the book by contacting people who would have knowledge of what happened that fateful night.
A book not to be missed!!!!!
February 17, 2016
1 Star
Essentially a bad-mediocre airport novel that I can imagine mildly entertaining somebody else's dad on holiday. Not my dad, obviously, cause he'd think it was a lot of badly written bollocks. But maybe someone like my best friend from school's dad - a smart, very nice, very friendly bloke, who none the less read a fucking shit newspaper every day.
There are so many issues I had with this book (and I'm sure I will get to talk about some of them in the book group that chose it at the end of the month!), but at the end of the day it's clearly written as a shitty disposable thriller for men who don't read a lot but have a basic grasp of modern history (you can tell it's aimed at men because the author can't fucking write women). Any time spent critiquing is time I could spend doing literally anything else.
Essentially a bad-mediocre airport novel that I can imagine mildly entertaining somebody else's dad on holiday. Not my dad, obviously, cause he'd think it was a lot of badly written bollocks. But maybe someone like my best friend from school's dad - a smart, very nice, very friendly bloke, who none the less read a fucking shit newspaper every day.
There are so many issues I had with this book (and I'm sure I will get to talk about some of them in the book group that chose it at the end of the month!), but at the end of the day it's clearly written as a shitty disposable thriller for men who don't read a lot but have a basic grasp of modern history (you can tell it's aimed at men because the author can't fucking write women). Any time spent critiquing is time I could spend doing literally anything else.
February 16, 2014
This falls somewhere between a Clive Cussler and a Ripping Yarns adventure. Let me start by saying that I have no real problems with Romanov Rescue Novels as a genre (and boy howdy, is it a genre at this point), but I do ask that they either be (1) so well-written that I happily suspend common sense (City of Shadows or (2) make some attempt to take the latest findings into consideration (you know, like the DNA). Books in which Tatiana becomes a vampire, Alexandra is a being who can shoot death rays from her eyes (sadly, not making that one up), Tatiana ducks out of the House of Special Purpose and runs off with a doctor Who Has Previously Showed Her What Life is All About (written by Carrolly Erickson, who should know better) and Alexei either loses his virginity to some kind of succubus/whatever or is texting the future from the cellar just before the shooting begins do not pass muster.
The Romanov Conspiracy has more improbabilities than statistics have laid down for our guidance, as dear Lady Bracknell used to say (how wise she was). The hero is the best friend of the villain, who may not be the villain, who is in hopeless thwarted love with the hero's wife who is perhaps the least developed character in the book. Everyone is in love with the madcap Irish revolutionary girl, who just happens to be a crack shot, expert horsewoman and who literally learns to fly a plane across Europe on the spot. In 1918. The putative main character makes a terse appearance in the first chapter and then shows back up at the end to tie things up in the most deus ex machina chapter I have read in eons.
I haven't even begun to describe what Meade does with the actual historical character of Grand Duchess Anastasia. Look, I think the girls were beautiful, but no one ever claimed they were burning up the turf in the brains department. Anastasia is portrayed as the heroine of a bodice-ripper, the kind of literature that her mother wouldn't have let her read, let alone emulate. Moreover, Meade can dance around this as much as he wants, but she is flirting her brains out with one of the characters at the age of 15 (he is in his twenties), and while the object of her affections does stop and question whether he should really be attracted to an adolescent, it doesn't stop him. At all. Plus there are all sorts of nitty details that Meade gets really, really wrong. For starters, Tatiana (there she is again) and Olga were the musicians among the the girls.
The book is filled with mysterious tunnels that fortunately empty onto the Ipatiev cellar, plucky nuns (Meade seems to have trouble separating Orthodox and Catholic nuns, but what the hey) and seens of derring-do that would make Indiana Jones look like a slacker. It's all kind of deleriously bad, but I give him credit, he does keep the balls in the air, and once you start it, you will probably finish it.
Kind of like cotton candy. Which doesn't mean it's good! Recommended for those who read everything and those who have read nothing at all.
The Romanov Conspiracy has more improbabilities than statistics have laid down for our guidance, as dear Lady Bracknell used to say (how wise she was). The hero is the best friend of the villain, who may not be the villain, who is in hopeless thwarted love with the hero's wife who is perhaps the least developed character in the book. Everyone is in love with the madcap Irish revolutionary girl, who just happens to be a crack shot, expert horsewoman and who literally learns to fly a plane across Europe on the spot. In 1918. The putative main character makes a terse appearance in the first chapter and then shows back up at the end to tie things up in the most deus ex machina chapter I have read in eons.
I haven't even begun to describe what Meade does with the actual historical character of Grand Duchess Anastasia. Look, I think the girls were beautiful, but no one ever claimed they were burning up the turf in the brains department. Anastasia is portrayed as the heroine of a bodice-ripper, the kind of literature that her mother wouldn't have let her read, let alone emulate. Moreover, Meade can dance around this as much as he wants, but she is flirting her brains out with one of the characters at the age of 15 (he is in his twenties), and while the object of her affections does stop and question whether he should really be attracted to an adolescent, it doesn't stop him. At all. Plus there are all sorts of nitty details that Meade gets really, really wrong. For starters, Tatiana (there she is again) and Olga were the musicians among the the girls.
The book is filled with mysterious tunnels that fortunately empty onto the Ipatiev cellar, plucky nuns (Meade seems to have trouble separating Orthodox and Catholic nuns, but what the hey) and seens of derring-do that would make Indiana Jones look like a slacker. It's all kind of deleriously bad, but I give him credit, he does keep the balls in the air, and once you start it, you will probably finish it.
Kind of like cotton candy. Which doesn't mean it's good! Recommended for those who read everything and those who have read nothing at all.
August 29, 2012
I just read this 515 page book within 24 hours and it took my breath away. It was so astonishing, so excellent, so well written, I feel the need to give it 10 stars but Goodreads won't let me.
Before I start reviewing the book, I need to say that as an historian, I am all about research and presenting only facts and not speculation. Like most people trained as historians, I am a fanatic about verified facts.
On the other hand, this is a novel and a work of fiction and I give such a project a wider berth because it is fiction and therefore not to be taken as fact.
For those who still wonder if Anna Anderson was Anastasia Romanov (she was not) or if Anastasia escaped death (she did not), here are two links for the facts.
(1) www.pilarrivett.com/anastasia-anna-an...
(2) www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1...
Now to review the story. An American forensic archaeologist , Dr. Laura Pavlov, is part of an international team digging just outside Ekaterinburg where the the Romanovs were murdered by the Reds in 1918. They find a perfectly preserved body in the permafrost in an old mine shaft and thus the adventure in discovery begins.
Dr. Pavlov goes to Ireland to speak with a mysterious old man who has been following her work and offers to unlock the secret of the woman found in the permafrost (he is the one who sent them the info that guided them to find it).
I love the way the author takes us from the beginning when the man is telling Dr. Pavlov the story and how the story unfolds so naturally and smoothly, the reader feels its urgency as if drawn right into the heart of the events as they are happening.
There is romance, there is danger, there is courage and sacrifice, and there is so much history very well woven into the story. I am a little jealous not to have written the book myself! Do you ever feel that way about books?
Don't let the length put you off or think that the fact that this book is historical will make it boring. Quite the opposite, this book is fast paced, the history lives and breathes, and this is very much a heart-pounding thriller. Men and women alike should love to lose themselves in this story.
I can't begin to do justice to this book so I will just say- read it! You will be so glad you did.
Before I start reviewing the book, I need to say that as an historian, I am all about research and presenting only facts and not speculation. Like most people trained as historians, I am a fanatic about verified facts.
On the other hand, this is a novel and a work of fiction and I give such a project a wider berth because it is fiction and therefore not to be taken as fact.
For those who still wonder if Anna Anderson was Anastasia Romanov (she was not) or if Anastasia escaped death (she did not), here are two links for the facts.
(1) www.pilarrivett.com/anastasia-anna-an...
(2) www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1...
Now to review the story. An American forensic archaeologist , Dr. Laura Pavlov, is part of an international team digging just outside Ekaterinburg where the the Romanovs were murdered by the Reds in 1918. They find a perfectly preserved body in the permafrost in an old mine shaft and thus the adventure in discovery begins.
Dr. Pavlov goes to Ireland to speak with a mysterious old man who has been following her work and offers to unlock the secret of the woman found in the permafrost (he is the one who sent them the info that guided them to find it).
I love the way the author takes us from the beginning when the man is telling Dr. Pavlov the story and how the story unfolds so naturally and smoothly, the reader feels its urgency as if drawn right into the heart of the events as they are happening.
There is romance, there is danger, there is courage and sacrifice, and there is so much history very well woven into the story. I am a little jealous not to have written the book myself! Do you ever feel that way about books?
Don't let the length put you off or think that the fact that this book is historical will make it boring. Quite the opposite, this book is fast paced, the history lives and breathes, and this is very much a heart-pounding thriller. Men and women alike should love to lose themselves in this story.
I can't begin to do justice to this book so I will just say- read it! You will be so glad you did.
July 22, 2012
4.5 stars
Years ago, I read a book by Robert Massie, The Romanovs: The Final Chapter. It was a fascinating book that explored not only the Russian Revolution and what led up to the execution of the tsar's family, but also ballistics, the acid used to deface the bodies, along with the eventual DNA testing of the bodies and of the infamous Anna Anderson who claimed to be Anastasia.
Since it has been years since I read the book, I can't recall with clarity every detail. That said, Meade does not attempt to change history nor does he attempt to retell what we already know. What he creates is a believable story of a group of people who attempt a rescue of the Romonov family.
A female body, encased and preserved in ice, is unearthed in a mine shaft in the Urals near the resting place of the Romanov family. Other bodies are also disposed of in the mine shafts but this one is of particular interest and leads the protagonist to Ireland and to an old Russian named Yakov who claims to be the son of the commissar Yakov tasked with the final disposal of the Romanov family in 1918. He then weaves a story together that is both historically correct, as far as I could tell, and enjoyable to read.
The author includes a cast of characters that, at first blush, don't seem to have many interests in common. But what he accomplishes is painting a more complete picture of the world at the time. This, he does through the introduction of characters which would take too much time and space to summarize. Instead, I'll include highlights of the world at that time and what the group were working through.
Not only was Russia in upheaval with the Bolsheviks, tired of living under royalty, taking power from the tsarists during a great revolution, violence was rampant. Disease, hunger, and lack of predictable heat, power, or transportation claimed many Russian lives. Lenin, who made vast promises of equality, had millions of Russians murdered and/or sent to Siberia. Former Tsarists turned Red Army simply for power. Nobody could be trusted.
Meanwhile, on the western front, Germany had engaged in The Great War. Their planes and war machines were far superior to what could be found nearby.
Ireland, having spent the past 600 years under British rule, wants independence. Between winks and nods, Germany smuggles guns to the Irish in an effort to drive the British attention from themselves.
Speaking of England, the king of England, George, is a cousin of Nicholai Romanov. He is torn between aiding in the rescue due to family ties and obligation and staying out of the conflict in Russia.
Meanwhile, the Spanish Flu is lighting the world on fire. An estimated 30 million people perish.
The Boston Red Sox defeat the Chicago Cubs in the World Series - their last World Series win until 2004. Wait. That parts not in the book. It's still a fascinating piece of 1918, though.
Brothers fought on opposite sides of wars. Spies were abundant in every country with interest, bribery, blackmail, and begging were all used. And somehow all of the above facts (except the World Series) come together to form a cohesive and intriguing story and possible theory.
I found it fascinating.
Years ago, I read a book by Robert Massie, The Romanovs: The Final Chapter. It was a fascinating book that explored not only the Russian Revolution and what led up to the execution of the tsar's family, but also ballistics, the acid used to deface the bodies, along with the eventual DNA testing of the bodies and of the infamous Anna Anderson who claimed to be Anastasia.
Since it has been years since I read the book, I can't recall with clarity every detail. That said, Meade does not attempt to change history nor does he attempt to retell what we already know. What he creates is a believable story of a group of people who attempt a rescue of the Romonov family.
A female body, encased and preserved in ice, is unearthed in a mine shaft in the Urals near the resting place of the Romanov family. Other bodies are also disposed of in the mine shafts but this one is of particular interest and leads the protagonist to Ireland and to an old Russian named Yakov who claims to be the son of the commissar Yakov tasked with the final disposal of the Romanov family in 1918. He then weaves a story together that is both historically correct, as far as I could tell, and enjoyable to read.
The author includes a cast of characters that, at first blush, don't seem to have many interests in common. But what he accomplishes is painting a more complete picture of the world at the time. This, he does through the introduction of characters which would take too much time and space to summarize. Instead, I'll include highlights of the world at that time and what the group were working through.
Not only was Russia in upheaval with the Bolsheviks, tired of living under royalty, taking power from the tsarists during a great revolution, violence was rampant. Disease, hunger, and lack of predictable heat, power, or transportation claimed many Russian lives. Lenin, who made vast promises of equality, had millions of Russians murdered and/or sent to Siberia. Former Tsarists turned Red Army simply for power. Nobody could be trusted.
Meanwhile, on the western front, Germany had engaged in The Great War. Their planes and war machines were far superior to what could be found nearby.
Ireland, having spent the past 600 years under British rule, wants independence. Between winks and nods, Germany smuggles guns to the Irish in an effort to drive the British attention from themselves.
Speaking of England, the king of England, George, is a cousin of Nicholai Romanov. He is torn between aiding in the rescue due to family ties and obligation and staying out of the conflict in Russia.
Meanwhile, the Spanish Flu is lighting the world on fire. An estimated 30 million people perish.
The Boston Red Sox defeat the Chicago Cubs in the World Series - their last World Series win until 2004. Wait. That parts not in the book. It's still a fascinating piece of 1918, though.
Brothers fought on opposite sides of wars. Spies were abundant in every country with interest, bribery, blackmail, and begging were all used. And somehow all of the above facts (except the World Series) come together to form a cohesive and intriguing story and possible theory.
I found it fascinating.
May 24, 2016
This book was no disappointment for readers who enjoy a thriller, suspense, mystery, and adventure all rolled into a fast-paced novel. I would've finished it sooner, but alas, I too am a writer and had to sometimes put away my favorite past-times so that I may finish writing my own stories.
The Romanov Conspiracy takes place during the Russian Revolution, so if you enjoyed Doctor Zhivago, you'll enjoy this too. The story is about the fate of the Romanov family. The Tsar has abdicated and being held prisoner with his entire family in a city not far from Moscow. Lenin is proving to be as brutal a dictator as he declared the Tsar to be, and his henchman, Leon Trotsky, is no less a conniving scoundrel.
The Allies put together an American named Boyle, to join a Russian named Andrev, and a woman who served as a nanny, Lydia, in an attempt to infiltrate the Ipatiev House where the Tsar and his family are being held so that they may rescue them.
They infiltrate Russia in one of the first long-range passenger planes ever built, but from the start it appears as though Lenin and Trotsky are familiar with the Allies' attempt to thwart the Russian Revolution. The team of infiltrators are separated and must join forces among Russian police and henchmen determined to find them.
All the while we learn more about the Russian family, and one cannot help feel sorry for them despite the cruelty it is said about how the Tsar ruled his territory with an iron fist. Ultimately the reader learns how close the royal family came to being rescued, and what is more, we learn about what may have actually happened to Anastasia, the daughter of the Tsar for which there has been much conspiracy theories about her fate.
Glenn Meade has proven he is a writer unmatched. He takes the reader through the streets of Moscow, through battlefields, and much more. You will not be disappointed and I highly recommend this book.
The Romanov Conspiracy takes place during the Russian Revolution, so if you enjoyed Doctor Zhivago, you'll enjoy this too. The story is about the fate of the Romanov family. The Tsar has abdicated and being held prisoner with his entire family in a city not far from Moscow. Lenin is proving to be as brutal a dictator as he declared the Tsar to be, and his henchman, Leon Trotsky, is no less a conniving scoundrel.
The Allies put together an American named Boyle, to join a Russian named Andrev, and a woman who served as a nanny, Lydia, in an attempt to infiltrate the Ipatiev House where the Tsar and his family are being held so that they may rescue them.
They infiltrate Russia in one of the first long-range passenger planes ever built, but from the start it appears as though Lenin and Trotsky are familiar with the Allies' attempt to thwart the Russian Revolution. The team of infiltrators are separated and must join forces among Russian police and henchmen determined to find them.
All the while we learn more about the Russian family, and one cannot help feel sorry for them despite the cruelty it is said about how the Tsar ruled his territory with an iron fist. Ultimately the reader learns how close the royal family came to being rescued, and what is more, we learn about what may have actually happened to Anastasia, the daughter of the Tsar for which there has been much conspiracy theories about her fate.
Glenn Meade has proven he is a writer unmatched. He takes the reader through the streets of Moscow, through battlefields, and much more. You will not be disappointed and I highly recommend this book.
December 28, 2012
"I stuck around St. Petersburg
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the czar and his ministers
Anastasia screamed in vain."
I never wanted this book to end. A 500 page historical novel and I read it in two or three sittings. Historical novels are my favorite genre of books, if the history is well researched, and it is in this book. This is sort of a cross between The Da Vinci Code and Dr Zhivago. And I didn't care much for The Da Vinci Code, or most of Dan Brown's works for that matter. Dr Zhivago is a more apt comparison minus the smaltzy music, soap opera, and Julie Christie. Setting is in Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, and the main focus is the imprisonment and ghastly execution of the Romanov royal family. One of the greatest real life mysteries of the 20th Century. I have read some history of the Romanovs, and I learned so much more by reading this novel. While reading this book, I avidly searched the internet for more documentation of what happened.
Mick Jagger has his history wrong. The Romanovs were executed in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Not St Petersburg. To this day, we really do not know if Anastasia died with them or not.
This novel is 5 stars. I am a happy Bolshevik!
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the czar and his ministers
Anastasia screamed in vain."
I never wanted this book to end. A 500 page historical novel and I read it in two or three sittings. Historical novels are my favorite genre of books, if the history is well researched, and it is in this book. This is sort of a cross between The Da Vinci Code and Dr Zhivago. And I didn't care much for The Da Vinci Code, or most of Dan Brown's works for that matter. Dr Zhivago is a more apt comparison minus the smaltzy music, soap opera, and Julie Christie. Setting is in Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, and the main focus is the imprisonment and ghastly execution of the Romanov royal family. One of the greatest real life mysteries of the 20th Century. I have read some history of the Romanovs, and I learned so much more by reading this novel. While reading this book, I avidly searched the internet for more documentation of what happened.
Mick Jagger has his history wrong. The Romanovs were executed in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Not St Petersburg. To this day, we really do not know if Anastasia died with them or not.
This novel is 5 stars. I am a happy Bolshevik!
July 21, 2012
Thrilling, exciting novel based on the execution of the Romanov family in 1918. Impossible to put down!
In our present day, archaeologist Dr. Laura Pavlov discovers a perfectly-preserved female body in a disused mineshaft near the home where the royal family was murdered. She travels to Ireland to speak to a man who tells her the story of the people who tried to rescue the family, and then the novel goes back to the bloody time of the Russian revolution. Some fiction, but mostly based on fact, this is a great Summer read.
In our present day, archaeologist Dr. Laura Pavlov discovers a perfectly-preserved female body in a disused mineshaft near the home where the royal family was murdered. She travels to Ireland to speak to a man who tells her the story of the people who tried to rescue the family, and then the novel goes back to the bloody time of the Russian revolution. Some fiction, but mostly based on fact, this is a great Summer read.
September 8, 2013
This really is not my genre. I would not have finished this one if my friend Diane hadn't raved about it. Truthfully, I thought the characters were stupid. The premise could have been good if I wasn't so annoyed by the characters.
January 10, 2013
Apparently I will read any piece of crap if there are Romanovs in it...
November 29, 2017
This is the first book I've read about the Romanov family and can highly recommend it to anyone interested in Russian history. There are some brutal scenes and the terror and atmosphere of Russia at that time is clearly illustrated.
It is very well written and researched. The research is shown at the beginning and end in conversations with Dr Pavlov and Michael Yakov who assemble the pieces of the jigsaw together with the help of others across the world, to discover what happened to the Tsar and his family and especially to Anastasia - fascinating. A wonderful read and I look forward to reading more of Glenn Meade's books.
It is very well written and researched. The research is shown at the beginning and end in conversations with Dr Pavlov and Michael Yakov who assemble the pieces of the jigsaw together with the help of others across the world, to discover what happened to the Tsar and his family and especially to Anastasia - fascinating. A wonderful read and I look forward to reading more of Glenn Meade's books.
December 30, 2020
Het einde van de Romanovs, alsook mede het einde van een tijdperk heeft me altijd geboeid. De wreedheden bij zowel de ‘witten’ als de ‘roden’ zijn het resultaat van ‘orders op te volgen’, hoe absurd ook. Hoe straatarme mensen zonder enig perspectief en zonder een andere wereld te kennen hier massaal aan deelnamen. Toont het schrikbeeld hoe mensen in staat zijn ten dienste van een leider hun menselijkheid te verliezen.
Het mooie, en tegelijk ook het tragische, in het boek zijn de personages die vechten voor menselijkheid, die kritisch zijn en die zich evengoed schuldig moeten maken aan listen en geweld om hun doel te bereiken. Zo dubbel maar wat een goed geschreven verhaal. Ik werd helemaal meegezogen.
Het mooie, en tegelijk ook het tragische, in het boek zijn de personages die vechten voor menselijkheid, die kritisch zijn en die zich evengoed schuldig moeten maken aan listen en geweld om hun doel te bereiken. Zo dubbel maar wat een goed geschreven verhaal. Ik werd helemaal meegezogen.
May 4, 2021
Dr. Laura Pavlov, a forensic archaeologist makes a discovery on the outskirts of present day Ekaterinburg, the Russian city where the Romanovs were murdered in July 1918. From this discovery she contacts Pavlov living in Ireland who sends her on a journey to find the truth about rumours of Princess Anastasia having escaped the execution.
Bracketed by this modern search, we dive into a story of great daring set in motion by the allies back in 1918 or so to rescue the Romanovs. The story involves an unlikely cast of Irish, American, Russian and Canadian characters who are given this task. The story gives us a front row seat to the class of the Reds and the Whites during this period of Russian turmoil. We meet Lenin and Trotsky whose brutality drives the advance of the Bolsheviks.
I found the story a bit far-fetching and dragging especially because the Russian names kept confusing me.
Bracketed by this modern search, we dive into a story of great daring set in motion by the allies back in 1918 or so to rescue the Romanovs. The story involves an unlikely cast of Irish, American, Russian and Canadian characters who are given this task. The story gives us a front row seat to the class of the Reds and the Whites during this period of Russian turmoil. We meet Lenin and Trotsky whose brutality drives the advance of the Bolsheviks.
I found the story a bit far-fetching and dragging especially because the Russian names kept confusing me.
February 28, 2022
Ik kan geen halve sterren geven op goodreads, maar ik zou dus eerder voor 3,5 sterren gaan.
Op zich vond ik het een goed verhaal en goed geschreven… maar om één of andere reden raakte ik er (zeker de eerste helft van het boek!) maar niet in vooruit. Eens voorbij de helft ging het wat vlotter maar tegen het einde toe wou ik gewoon dat het uit was.
Maar ik kan er dus niet mijn vinger op leggen waardoor dit was.
Zoals ik al zei vond ik het wel een goed en intrigerend verhaal. Sowieso vind ik alles rond de Romanovs wel interessant.
En wat er met Anastasia echt gebeurde? Dat zal een mysterie blijven :)
Op zich vond ik het een goed verhaal en goed geschreven… maar om één of andere reden raakte ik er (zeker de eerste helft van het boek!) maar niet in vooruit. Eens voorbij de helft ging het wat vlotter maar tegen het einde toe wou ik gewoon dat het uit was.
Maar ik kan er dus niet mijn vinger op leggen waardoor dit was.
Zoals ik al zei vond ik het wel een goed en intrigerend verhaal. Sowieso vind ik alles rond de Romanovs wel interessant.
En wat er met Anastasia echt gebeurde? Dat zal een mysterie blijven :)
March 28, 2024
The Romanov Conspiracy
What an amazing story! So many twists and turns. So many characters to try to weave together and a plot that could be believed, or not. For anyone even remotely interested in the Romanov family and the tragedy at Ipaitev house in Ekaterinberg its a must read! Certainly a fantastic story, and if at all true, heartbreaking all over again.
What an amazing story! So many twists and turns. So many characters to try to weave together and a plot that could be believed, or not. For anyone even remotely interested in the Romanov family and the tragedy at Ipaitev house in Ekaterinberg its a must read! Certainly a fantastic story, and if at all true, heartbreaking all over again.
September 6, 2024
I can’t imagine living through what the family did during those times.
February 6, 2018
Başlangıç ile bu kadar çok isim ve ilişkiler çok tutarlı gelmemesi, sonrası yıldırım gibi bir roman. Çok beğendim.
July 15, 2012
"Ekaterinburg, Russia.
I believe that the greatest secrets lie buried and only the dead speak the truth.
And in a way that was how I came to be in the woods that morning when we found the bodies. It was raining in the City of Dead Souls, a heavy downpour that drenched the summer streets. I reviewed the thick clutch of pages, the results of my work for the last three months. This was my first visit to Ekaterinburg and our team came from all over: forensic archaeologists, scientists, and students from America, Britain, Germany and Italy; and of course, our host, Russia. The brief our our cooperative venture was simple - to dig in the forests for evidence of mass executions during the Russian Revolution's Red Terror.
Many thousands perished, not least the Romanovs, the Russian royal family - the tsar and tsarina, and their four pretty daughters and their youngest son, fourteen-year-old Alexei - shot and bayoneted to death, their skulls smashed by rifle butts and their corpses doused in sulfuric acid.
Something else I had counted on that summer's morning as we pulled up beside one of the tents. I came to these resin-scented woods to exhume the ghosts of the past. Yet absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the bizarre secret that I was to stumble upon when the frozen Siberian earth offered up it's dead.
For with the dead came the truth.
And with the truth came the first whispers of the most incredible story I have ever heard." (excerpt pg 1-4)
In the latest novel from Glenn Meade, The Romanov Conspiracy, he once again takes his readers on an explosive investigation and historical fiction into the background of one of the most unsolved cases still haunting the history books today. Based on partial truth mixed with fiction to complete this novel, the answers using long-lost clues may yet reveal an intricate conspiracy, one that may well answer the twentieth century's most enduring mystery. But as to which part is truth and which part is fiction, the author leaves that up to the reader to decide.
I received The Romanov Conspiracy by Glenn Meade compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster for my own personal honest review. This being my second novel from Glenn Meade, the first being The Second Messiah, I knew I would really enjoy this one as well. Glenn is articulate in his fact findings so as to keep his readers as close to the actual events as much as possible. The writing is sound, engaging and guaranteed to keep you turning pages as fast as you can read. I once again rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars. Not knowing much about the Russian history surrounding the disappearances of the Romanov's I found this one an exceptional novel.
I believe that the greatest secrets lie buried and only the dead speak the truth.
And in a way that was how I came to be in the woods that morning when we found the bodies. It was raining in the City of Dead Souls, a heavy downpour that drenched the summer streets. I reviewed the thick clutch of pages, the results of my work for the last three months. This was my first visit to Ekaterinburg and our team came from all over: forensic archaeologists, scientists, and students from America, Britain, Germany and Italy; and of course, our host, Russia. The brief our our cooperative venture was simple - to dig in the forests for evidence of mass executions during the Russian Revolution's Red Terror.
Many thousands perished, not least the Romanovs, the Russian royal family - the tsar and tsarina, and their four pretty daughters and their youngest son, fourteen-year-old Alexei - shot and bayoneted to death, their skulls smashed by rifle butts and their corpses doused in sulfuric acid.
Something else I had counted on that summer's morning as we pulled up beside one of the tents. I came to these resin-scented woods to exhume the ghosts of the past. Yet absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the bizarre secret that I was to stumble upon when the frozen Siberian earth offered up it's dead.
For with the dead came the truth.
And with the truth came the first whispers of the most incredible story I have ever heard." (excerpt pg 1-4)
In the latest novel from Glenn Meade, The Romanov Conspiracy, he once again takes his readers on an explosive investigation and historical fiction into the background of one of the most unsolved cases still haunting the history books today. Based on partial truth mixed with fiction to complete this novel, the answers using long-lost clues may yet reveal an intricate conspiracy, one that may well answer the twentieth century's most enduring mystery. But as to which part is truth and which part is fiction, the author leaves that up to the reader to decide.
I received The Romanov Conspiracy by Glenn Meade compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster for my own personal honest review. This being my second novel from Glenn Meade, the first being The Second Messiah, I knew I would really enjoy this one as well. Glenn is articulate in his fact findings so as to keep his readers as close to the actual events as much as possible. The writing is sound, engaging and guaranteed to keep you turning pages as fast as you can read. I once again rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars. Not knowing much about the Russian history surrounding the disappearances of the Romanov's I found this one an exceptional novel.
January 4, 2013
So, first you should probably know a few things about me. I love just about everything to do with anything Irish. History, myth, stories, song, poetry, people, language, food. You name I have yet to enjoy it (except Colcannon. I haven’t had it but cabbage and me… we aren’t enemies, but we aren’t exactly on speaking terms. The second thing you need to know before I tell you about this book is I LOVE anything to do with the Romanov’s story. Particularly survival stories and such.
So this book was right up my literary alley. It needs to be noted that I have an ARC (advanced Readers Copy) that my mom and dad picked up from a booksellers convention, so some of the wiriting was a bit rough, mostly it was as if a word wasn’t tyuped where it should be, but you knew what it was supposed to be. Also as such there is probably some minor differences between the published version and the ARC so I’ll keep it to the bare bones of the story.
I Loved this book. Absolutely Loved it. (again, Might be biased)
It’s based on a rumor/myth/story that there was a rescue attempt out of Ireland to save the Romanov’s before they were executed. There is of course a bit of romance interwoven throughout the story with a healthy does of action. (It is after all Russia during the beginnings of WWI and the over throw of the Tzars.) Through in some secret societies for good measure.
Overall I thought Meade did a really great job about weaving this story together, It makes me wonder which parts of it were true and which parts he fictionalized.
And as with all good Irish Literature (and some Russian since they seem to have similarities as far as the dark side of literature goes) this story has it’s very own bittersweet ending that aptly fits it’s gruesome content.
I could go on and on about this book and delve into the story of Joe Boyle, the enigmatic Irish-Canadian who has just a touch of the James Bond in him. I could tell you all about Lydia Ryan’s bravery and courage and wit as she worked as a arms smuggler to supply the Irish with weapons for their rebellion against the British crown and how she was whisked up in this daring plot to save the Romanov’s. Of her heartbreaks and joys and near misses. I could tell you Everything I know about Uri, and Yakov, and Phillip Sorg and what the world doesn't know about their heroic tragic deeds. But If I told you all of this, You really wouldn't have a need to pick up and read this book yourself and enjoy this thrilling and beautiful book.
So this book was right up my literary alley. It needs to be noted that I have an ARC (advanced Readers Copy) that my mom and dad picked up from a booksellers convention, so some of the wiriting was a bit rough, mostly it was as if a word wasn’t tyuped where it should be, but you knew what it was supposed to be. Also as such there is probably some minor differences between the published version and the ARC so I’ll keep it to the bare bones of the story.
I Loved this book. Absolutely Loved it. (again, Might be biased)
It’s based on a rumor/myth/story that there was a rescue attempt out of Ireland to save the Romanov’s before they were executed. There is of course a bit of romance interwoven throughout the story with a healthy does of action. (It is after all Russia during the beginnings of WWI and the over throw of the Tzars.) Through in some secret societies for good measure.
Overall I thought Meade did a really great job about weaving this story together, It makes me wonder which parts of it were true and which parts he fictionalized.
And as with all good Irish Literature (and some Russian since they seem to have similarities as far as the dark side of literature goes) this story has it’s very own bittersweet ending that aptly fits it’s gruesome content.
I could go on and on about this book and delve into the story of Joe Boyle, the enigmatic Irish-Canadian who has just a touch of the James Bond in him. I could tell you all about Lydia Ryan’s bravery and courage and wit as she worked as a arms smuggler to supply the Irish with weapons for their rebellion against the British crown and how she was whisked up in this daring plot to save the Romanov’s. Of her heartbreaks and joys and near misses. I could tell you Everything I know about Uri, and Yakov, and Phillip Sorg and what the world doesn't know about their heroic tragic deeds. But If I told you all of this, You really wouldn't have a need to pick up and read this book yourself and enjoy this thrilling and beautiful book.
April 29, 2014
This must have been a free Kindle download, because I can't imagine me spending money on a book of this genre. Do I really know or care about the Russian Bolshevik revolution? Surprise, surprise! This is the best book I have read so far this year.
Based on the mystery behind the execution of the Romanov family in the early 1900s, intrigue and espionage seep off every page. Having more than 500 pages and 100 chapters, the book clips along at a good pace, weaving intricately between various scenes and multiple plots. Every chapter ended with a cliff-hanger, and the next would grasp the thread from the previous precipice, propelling the reader forward to the next tumultuous event. Glenn Meade is a good writer, describing situations and characters in an interesting way.
I had a hard time keeping all the characters straight, and categorizing them as good guys or bad guys. The one group attempted to rescue the Tzar's family while the other carried out Lenin's order to execute them. It was a race to see who would succeed and how! Several characters weren't who they appeared to be, which added to my interest level. I think I will have to read this again at some point to absorb more details.
This book offers plenty of action, but gruesome scenes and cold-blooded shootings may not be for the faint of heart. I think it accurately portrays a country wrought with a history of oppression and world influence. Never having formally studied all the Tzars, I do know about Lenin and Trotsky, and understand about human's tendency to preserve one's life over someone else's. Love and loyalty, deception and betrayal, and the struggles produced by these conflicting traits, effectively weave an enthralling literary tapestry.
Based on the mystery behind the execution of the Romanov family in the early 1900s, intrigue and espionage seep off every page. Having more than 500 pages and 100 chapters, the book clips along at a good pace, weaving intricately between various scenes and multiple plots. Every chapter ended with a cliff-hanger, and the next would grasp the thread from the previous precipice, propelling the reader forward to the next tumultuous event. Glenn Meade is a good writer, describing situations and characters in an interesting way.
I had a hard time keeping all the characters straight, and categorizing them as good guys or bad guys. The one group attempted to rescue the Tzar's family while the other carried out Lenin's order to execute them. It was a race to see who would succeed and how! Several characters weren't who they appeared to be, which added to my interest level. I think I will have to read this again at some point to absorb more details.
This book offers plenty of action, but gruesome scenes and cold-blooded shootings may not be for the faint of heart. I think it accurately portrays a country wrought with a history of oppression and world influence. Never having formally studied all the Tzars, I do know about Lenin and Trotsky, and understand about human's tendency to preserve one's life over someone else's. Love and loyalty, deception and betrayal, and the struggles produced by these conflicting traits, effectively weave an enthralling literary tapestry.
April 11, 2024
I really liked this book it had so many different elements to it It hit all the marks and kept me wanting to keep reading. I kept thinking it would make a great movie
August 20, 2012
From the author's note:
"Much of what you are about to read is true.
The rest, but as small part, is fiction, part of the mosaic of storytelling that a writer must employ to bring life to his tale.
But as to which part is truth and which small part is fiction, I will leave that for you to decide."
Glenn Meade had me from page one! The Romanov Conspiracy started off a bit slow--and even slightly confusing because there were so many characters to keep track of. But once the story got going it was non-stop action! I completely enjoyed the story--and I have no idea if it's true or not! I hope it is, because this is a much more compelling telling of the events leading up to and the aftermath of the ordered execution of the Romanovs than the Communists wanted the world to know.
I especially appreciated that this author chose to use clean language throughout the story--very uncharacteristic for something of this genre. Seriously, there was not an h-e-double hockey sticks to be found. But some of the characters actually said things like "Bloody heck!" or "Where the heck did you learn to shoot like that?" or "Go to the devil!"
If you are looking for some heart stopping excitement combined with an intriguing, keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat story, I highly recommend The Romanov Conspiracy!
"Much of what you are about to read is true.
The rest, but as small part, is fiction, part of the mosaic of storytelling that a writer must employ to bring life to his tale.
But as to which part is truth and which small part is fiction, I will leave that for you to decide."
Glenn Meade had me from page one! The Romanov Conspiracy started off a bit slow--and even slightly confusing because there were so many characters to keep track of. But once the story got going it was non-stop action! I completely enjoyed the story--and I have no idea if it's true or not! I hope it is, because this is a much more compelling telling of the events leading up to and the aftermath of the ordered execution of the Romanovs than the Communists wanted the world to know.
I especially appreciated that this author chose to use clean language throughout the story--very uncharacteristic for something of this genre. Seriously, there was not an h-e-double hockey sticks to be found. But some of the characters actually said things like "Bloody heck!" or "Where the heck did you learn to shoot like that?" or "Go to the devil!"
If you are looking for some heart stopping excitement combined with an intriguing, keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat story, I highly recommend The Romanov Conspiracy!
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