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Constantinople
What does an auxiliary member of the tsar’s family do as the Bolsheviks reach out to strangle the last vestiges of White Russian society in the aftermath of the 1917 Russian Revolution? As others of the Russian nobility did, young Count Pyotr Romanov, sent by his family in St. Petersburg to the southern Russian city of Kazan to join the cadets of the Imperial Military Academy for safety, escapes from immediate peril to a false safety. Kazan proves not to be far enough, and by 1920 Pyotr, forced to rely on a grasping and controlling academy professor who initiates him in man love, is fleeing first to Novorossiysk, to be evacuated to the Crimea, and then, just as the Bolsheviks are poised to overrun that peninsula into the Black Sea, he is evacuated by sea to Constantinople.
Along the way, and once spit out in Constantinople along with hundreds of other destitute White Russians, Pyotr lives by his wits and his ability to survive by using men who want to use him.
During his struggle to survive he has also pursued the mysterious Katya Betskoya, who harbors a shocking secret and who he has saved from being trampled on the dock at Sevastopol before he is evacuated to Constantinople to live by selling his body on the streets, eventually becoming a chauffeur to an importer. From thence, he finds himself in the Turkish port of Smyrna, where, once again, he is put in physical danger and is caught up in another pogrom, this time pitting Turks against Greeks and Armenians. The illusive Katya appears here, this time in the role of Pyotr’s savior, and he faces yet another need to evacuate to relative safety.
While becoming less and less enchanted by the White Russian cause and more determined to remake himself into a new person and to win Katya, Pyotr gives himself over to the lusts of other men to survive and live against the backdrop of some of the most momentous events to occur in the Black Sea region in the 1920s. This is almost as much a history of the calamitous times as it is of the personal struggle to survive and thrive of a young nobleman in a time of revolution and chaos.
Along the way, and once spit out in Constantinople along with hundreds of other destitute White Russians, Pyotr lives by his wits and his ability to survive by using men who want to use him.
During his struggle to survive he has also pursued the mysterious Katya Betskoya, who harbors a shocking secret and who he has saved from being trampled on the dock at Sevastopol before he is evacuated to Constantinople to live by selling his body on the streets, eventually becoming a chauffeur to an importer. From thence, he finds himself in the Turkish port of Smyrna, where, once again, he is put in physical danger and is caught up in another pogrom, this time pitting Turks against Greeks and Armenians. The illusive Katya appears here, this time in the role of Pyotr’s savior, and he faces yet another need to evacuate to relative safety.
While becoming less and less enchanted by the White Russian cause and more determined to remake himself into a new person and to win Katya, Pyotr gives himself over to the lusts of other men to survive and live against the backdrop of some of the most momentous events to occur in the Black Sea region in the 1920s. This is almost as much a history of the calamitous times as it is of the personal struggle to survive and thrive of a young nobleman in a time of revolution and chaos.
- GenresM M Romance
128 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2012
61 people want to read
About the author
Dirk Hessian
26 books4 followersDirk Hessian is the short M/M historial novella alter ego of author habu.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 11, 2012
Reviewed By BlackTulip for Confessions from Romaholics
Once again, Dirk Hessian doesn't disappoint. He offers us here another very creative and dramatic novel that completely strays from the beaten track, recounting the tragic events somewhat fallen into oblivion. It is the end of an era...
This story is set against the backdrop of the "White Russians" exodus, who, forced to flee communist atrocities, were driven away from their home and their country by the Bolshevik revolution. It is a very sad and tragic episode that has been neglected and forgotten by the official history. This novel gives these people a new voice.
The book describes the arduous journey of a very young cadet thrown unwillingly into the middle of this massive human tragedy, a path full of pitfalls and dangers of all kinds. The extent of historical detail, high drama and emotions that you can find on these pages is simply phenomenal! The impressive amount of research enables the author to create a striking atmosphere of authenticity and realism. He effortlessly plunges us into this violent drama and makes us feel as if we were there.
Young Count Pyotr Romanov's character is like a blank canvas. In St.Petersburg, he has been pampered all his young life, he never had to lift a finger to do anything and he was never important, being only a third son. All he has ever done was to live and let live. He is sent to Kazan Military Academy for his own protection from the Bolshevik menace. He doesn't really know who he is and he doesn't know what he wants. It's quite obvious from the start that he's absolutely not cut out to be in the military. Plus, he's too handsome for his own good! At least, he knows he likes men...
It was very interesting and exciting to observe Pyotr react, progress and evolve while faced with the huge turmoil of the outside world that drastically affects his life and his decisions. Despite everything he manages to get through all the difficulties alive. He's forced to leave everything behind - everything he ever had, his name, his title and his pride, but in a way it doesn't bother him that much.
One day he was a young cadet in Kazan, but after fleeing from Sevastopol and arriving in Turkey he has become a survivor who has already done what he had to do to stay alive. It was the first real decision he had to make and it would change his life forever. He crossed the line and prostituted himself to survive, for food, but this is only the beginning...
There's so much going on and things are going so fast that you barely have time to breathe and from one page to another you really never know what to expect, which is perfect for me.
There's a breathtaking, outstanding description of a horribly realistic scene of a crowd during the evacuation of Sevastopol. The author brilliantly conveys the oppressive atmosphere of the scene where danger, anger and panic collide until it becomes a nightmare. This crowd of human beings suddenly turns into an inhuman and ugly beast devoid of any feelings or pity. And it's in this infernal chaos that Pyotr meets Katya, the most beautiful girl he's ever seen and saves her from being trampled on by a merciless horde. Later they'll meet again in even worse circumstances, this time Katya will rescue him from being butchered by Turkish soldiers. They have a lot in common, they are both survivors willing to do everything it takes to stay alive.
As soon as Pyotr meets Katya, she never really leaves his mind, this becomes like a fantasy, an obsession. When at one point, much later, he is offered a chance of a new life and a new beginning he nearly lets it pass...
Katya harbors a secret - when revealed, it's like a thunderclap, it's jaw-dropping, flabbergasting.... and I absolutely never saw it coming. What a fantastic twist!
The novel is an adventure full of lessons where life is shown as a relentless teacher. Pyotr's only option if he wanted to survive was to adapt and learn from it and he was a good pupil! At one time he has the courage to take the only possible decision that would enable him to go on and survive. All the hardships that he went through only made him stronger and forged him into a new man. He would never have become that man if he had stayed Count Pyotr Romanov. This new man is without fear, without regrets or even shame and he chooses simply to live.
The author has built a poignant and complex story that expertly interweaves history with fiction. Everything about it is excellent, from the characterization to the setting and writing. He's skillful at reviving tragedy, misery, courage, cowardice and hope.
I've loved every book by Dirk Hessian I've read but I've got to say that this time he has surpassed himself. This is such a riveting page-turning historical tale! I highly recommend it and give 5 big stars!
Once again, Dirk Hessian doesn't disappoint. He offers us here another very creative and dramatic novel that completely strays from the beaten track, recounting the tragic events somewhat fallen into oblivion. It is the end of an era...
This story is set against the backdrop of the "White Russians" exodus, who, forced to flee communist atrocities, were driven away from their home and their country by the Bolshevik revolution. It is a very sad and tragic episode that has been neglected and forgotten by the official history. This novel gives these people a new voice.
The book describes the arduous journey of a very young cadet thrown unwillingly into the middle of this massive human tragedy, a path full of pitfalls and dangers of all kinds. The extent of historical detail, high drama and emotions that you can find on these pages is simply phenomenal! The impressive amount of research enables the author to create a striking atmosphere of authenticity and realism. He effortlessly plunges us into this violent drama and makes us feel as if we were there.
Young Count Pyotr Romanov's character is like a blank canvas. In St.Petersburg, he has been pampered all his young life, he never had to lift a finger to do anything and he was never important, being only a third son. All he has ever done was to live and let live. He is sent to Kazan Military Academy for his own protection from the Bolshevik menace. He doesn't really know who he is and he doesn't know what he wants. It's quite obvious from the start that he's absolutely not cut out to be in the military. Plus, he's too handsome for his own good! At least, he knows he likes men...
It was very interesting and exciting to observe Pyotr react, progress and evolve while faced with the huge turmoil of the outside world that drastically affects his life and his decisions. Despite everything he manages to get through all the difficulties alive. He's forced to leave everything behind - everything he ever had, his name, his title and his pride, but in a way it doesn't bother him that much.
One day he was a young cadet in Kazan, but after fleeing from Sevastopol and arriving in Turkey he has become a survivor who has already done what he had to do to stay alive. It was the first real decision he had to make and it would change his life forever. He crossed the line and prostituted himself to survive, for food, but this is only the beginning...
There's so much going on and things are going so fast that you barely have time to breathe and from one page to another you really never know what to expect, which is perfect for me.
There's a breathtaking, outstanding description of a horribly realistic scene of a crowd during the evacuation of Sevastopol. The author brilliantly conveys the oppressive atmosphere of the scene where danger, anger and panic collide until it becomes a nightmare. This crowd of human beings suddenly turns into an inhuman and ugly beast devoid of any feelings or pity. And it's in this infernal chaos that Pyotr meets Katya, the most beautiful girl he's ever seen and saves her from being trampled on by a merciless horde. Later they'll meet again in even worse circumstances, this time Katya will rescue him from being butchered by Turkish soldiers. They have a lot in common, they are both survivors willing to do everything it takes to stay alive.
As soon as Pyotr meets Katya, she never really leaves his mind, this becomes like a fantasy, an obsession. When at one point, much later, he is offered a chance of a new life and a new beginning he nearly lets it pass...
Katya harbors a secret - when revealed, it's like a thunderclap, it's jaw-dropping, flabbergasting.... and I absolutely never saw it coming. What a fantastic twist!
The novel is an adventure full of lessons where life is shown as a relentless teacher. Pyotr's only option if he wanted to survive was to adapt and learn from it and he was a good pupil! At one time he has the courage to take the only possible decision that would enable him to go on and survive. All the hardships that he went through only made him stronger and forged him into a new man. He would never have become that man if he had stayed Count Pyotr Romanov. This new man is without fear, without regrets or even shame and he chooses simply to live.
The author has built a poignant and complex story that expertly interweaves history with fiction. Everything about it is excellent, from the characterization to the setting and writing. He's skillful at reviving tragedy, misery, courage, cowardice and hope.
I've loved every book by Dirk Hessian I've read but I've got to say that this time he has surpassed himself. This is such a riveting page-turning historical tale! I highly recommend it and give 5 big stars!
August 13, 2012
Should be read for its depiction of a facinating, if horrorfying, little-known time and place of history as well as for the hot gay sex it provides.
August 10, 2012
Sweeping novel of historical drama and impossible love. Terrific insight into the now little known historical events of the turbulent and violent years of the reshaping of Russia and Turkey early last century.Also very good gay erotica writing.
August 8, 2021
Not as engaging as I thought it would be
August 3, 2015
Lots of sex, but not really described with any particular relish or excitement. The historical context the author has chosen is an interesting one -- the flight of White Russians from the Bolsheviks, in this case to Constantinople (Istanbul). The writer seems to know the history well enough, but, as with others of his books, I find the motivations lacking and a sort of desultory quality to the sexual tale.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews