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The Counterpoint Trilogy #1
The Metronome
The Metronome is the first book in The Counterpoint trilogy and a prequel to the previously published The Great Game. This was an unplanned book: The Great Game was supposed to be a stand-alone story. Then questions about a sequel started coming in. The last words in The Great Game are “This is not the end.” I meant it philosophically, meaning that the struggle between good and evil, quest for power vs. individual liberty will continue as they did through the centuries. But I was being too cute by half and the readers called me on it.
And somewhere in the process of working on a sequel I have taken a turn into the past. Events in The Great Game are based on the financial crisis which in turn is rooted in a financial warfare between the US on one side and China and Russia on the other side. I wanted to go back in time and show the beginning of that warfare, show that the seeds have been planted and carefully cultivated prior to the events in the story.
And something else started happening. Some of the events “predicted” in The Great Game began to materialize much sooner than I expected, particularly rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia and growing rapprochement of China and Russia.
The characters of The Metronome are made up but the backdrop of the events is real and factual. The main protagonist Pavel Rostin is a regular, very flawed man who faces difficult circumstances. I know that the ending of The Metronome will upset some of the readers but I felt it was the only honest way to conclude the first part: the larger context was not Pavel's immediate fate or his flaws, but the moral choices he made at the end and their impact on others. Because “even the smallest person can change the course of the future.”
Pavel Rostin has taken too many chances. Once a promising physicist, he abandoned science for finance and risked everything on a speculative venture. Careless and rogue, he gambled with his personal relationships. As Pavel tries to pick up the pieces of his life, a call from Russia informs him that his father is dead.
When Pavel follows his father’s footsteps trying to solve the mystery of his death, he turns up some inexplicable clues. The investigation draws him deeper and deeper into his family’s past – and his country’s future. From starving 1941 Leningrad to free-wheeling Moscow of the mid-1990s to bubbly 2006 Wall Street, Pavel uncovers a web of money, murder, revenge and evidence of a plot involving the world’s superpowers. The choices of right and wrong don’t look as clear cut as in newspaper headlines. But is he just a pawn in someone else’s game?
And somewhere in the process of working on a sequel I have taken a turn into the past. Events in The Great Game are based on the financial crisis which in turn is rooted in a financial warfare between the US on one side and China and Russia on the other side. I wanted to go back in time and show the beginning of that warfare, show that the seeds have been planted and carefully cultivated prior to the events in the story.
And something else started happening. Some of the events “predicted” in The Great Game began to materialize much sooner than I expected, particularly rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia and growing rapprochement of China and Russia.
The characters of The Metronome are made up but the backdrop of the events is real and factual. The main protagonist Pavel Rostin is a regular, very flawed man who faces difficult circumstances. I know that the ending of The Metronome will upset some of the readers but I felt it was the only honest way to conclude the first part: the larger context was not Pavel's immediate fate or his flaws, but the moral choices he made at the end and their impact on others. Because “even the smallest person can change the course of the future.”
Pavel Rostin has taken too many chances. Once a promising physicist, he abandoned science for finance and risked everything on a speculative venture. Careless and rogue, he gambled with his personal relationships. As Pavel tries to pick up the pieces of his life, a call from Russia informs him that his father is dead.
When Pavel follows his father’s footsteps trying to solve the mystery of his death, he turns up some inexplicable clues. The investigation draws him deeper and deeper into his family’s past – and his country’s future. From starving 1941 Leningrad to free-wheeling Moscow of the mid-1990s to bubbly 2006 Wall Street, Pavel uncovers a web of money, murder, revenge and evidence of a plot involving the world’s superpowers. The choices of right and wrong don’t look as clear cut as in newspaper headlines. But is he just a pawn in someone else’s game?
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 19, 2014
180 people are currently reading
1056 people want to read
About the author
D.R. Bell
9 books38 followers I didn't plan to become a writer. In late 2012 a friend's death prompted me to ask what would be the one thing I regret not doing. I've always been an avid reader but have not had the courage to write. And I made a New Year resolution to write a book. That's how it started.
Since I don't depend on writing for my livelihood, I feel no pressure to "commercialize" my work or to follow "formulas for success." I do hope to say something meaningful and original about human existence. My books are not light reading and not to everyone's liking. I write about serious topics, such as the price of freedom and the corruption of power, a relationship between an individual and a state, tribal (in)tolerances, etc., but wrap them into action-filled stories. Having been born under a totalitarian regime, I'm very sensitive to the kind of power that a modern state wields over an individual. There is one common trait that my books share: the heroes are ordinary people, not superheroes or master detectives. While all my books are entirely fictional, the fiction is always rooted in facts and realities of the current or past events.
Since I don't depend on writing for my livelihood, I feel no pressure to "commercialize" my work or to follow "formulas for success." I do hope to say something meaningful and original about human existence. My books are not light reading and not to everyone's liking. I write about serious topics, such as the price of freedom and the corruption of power, a relationship between an individual and a state, tribal (in)tolerances, etc., but wrap them into action-filled stories. Having been born under a totalitarian regime, I'm very sensitive to the kind of power that a modern state wields over an individual. There is one common trait that my books share: the heroes are ordinary people, not superheroes or master detectives. While all my books are entirely fictional, the fiction is always rooted in facts and realities of the current or past events.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
September 23, 2014
D.R. Bell's new literary novel "The Metronome" helps fill in Western readers on a major missing piece in our understanding of the modern world: recent Russian history. As the main character, now living in the States, investigates to determine if his father in Russia was murdered, he - and we the reader - learn of the horrors of living in Russia during the German blitzkrieg, the paranoia of living in post-war Soviet Union, the go-go party mentality of Russia in the post-Soviet 1990, and the resulting corruption that since has filled the vacuum as the nation edges toward economic calamity. Without taking sides, Bell infers the reasons for the current Russian belligerence in the Ukraine and elsewhere. This novel isn't a political thesis paper, though. It's a very human story that at spots will cause your eyes to well and at others make you cringe as you fear for the main character's life. For anyone who wants to understand how our modern world has arisen out of very human terrors and emotions, this is a must-read novel.
November 6, 2014
'The Metronome' is more than a fictional work. It weaves some real historical events and facts into the story. Though,the main plot being centered around a possible murder/suicide.The story goes on to explain so much about post cold war financial warfare that's happening in the world. "The wars are not fought with bombs and bullets anymore",appeared to be like a cliche to me. but, financial warfare seems to be much more less fictional. The financial institution which are too big to fail pose a real danger to the socio-economical society of ours.
Even though the author was ambitious in pulling together the story of this magnitude, its after all a story of fiction. But everything seems to be connected in the story. there are no loose ends. some history could have been avoided, but that gives you a real insight into stalin's russia,nazi's attack on russia, etc.,
I didn't get why they named it 'the metronome'. i guess it represents some thing more than the time ticking in those siege days in russia. i really don't know. overall, good book. must read, if you're into historical fiction.
Even though the author was ambitious in pulling together the story of this magnitude, its after all a story of fiction. But everything seems to be connected in the story. there are no loose ends. some history could have been avoided, but that gives you a real insight into stalin's russia,nazi's attack on russia, etc.,
I didn't get why they named it 'the metronome'. i guess it represents some thing more than the time ticking in those siege days in russia. i really don't know. overall, good book. must read, if you're into historical fiction.
October 25, 2019
This may be one of the most frightening books I have ever read, not because of the plot--though that's chilling enough--but because of the actual documents the author used for source material. I'd never read the Wolfowitz memorandum, or Zbigniew Brezhinsky's predictions about financial rot, but you can bet I will be doing a fair amount of research in the area. History is often frightening, but not usually so immediately.
The novel itself is competent enough; logical and with flashes of inspiration and atmosphere, but the writing is pedestrian and sometimes stumbles. As a literary work it gets a 2, but as a bright red flashing danger sign it deserves a 4.
February 6, 2016
The switching from first person, to third person, to just boring facts drove me crazy. All the additional information about Russia, flash backs, and hedge fund information did nothing for the story development and caused me to skip pages and pages at a time.
I continued to read subjected to the boring drone of details that took away from the story. I finally gave up at about 1/2 through the book, I just couldn't take it anymore. Reading this book felt like the reading assignment you dreaded in modern lit.
I continued to read subjected to the boring drone of details that took away from the story. I finally gave up at about 1/2 through the book, I just couldn't take it anymore. Reading this book felt like the reading assignment you dreaded in modern lit.
July 29, 2015
Fast paced, quick read. The writing wasn't the tightest, and the characters tended to be kind of flat, but the story moved well. If you're a history nerd like me, it provides an interesting look behind the Iron Curtain, and also provides a fascinating take on the development of American-Russian relations. Good commute read - not a "can't put it down" per se, but still very much an " I want to know what happens"
January 14, 2019
A great read
I read the book fast because it was interesting and well written. The financial info about the world fast road to hell is really interesting and very informative for someone who doesn’t have a financial background.
I read the book fast because it was interesting and well written. The financial info about the world fast road to hell is really interesting and very informative for someone who doesn’t have a financial background.
March 6, 2019
What a wonderful surprise! The Metronome captivated my reading attention and kept my mind mulling over correlations to today's world long after the words had ended.
My greatest takeaways included the book's smartly presented financial plot, the coyly veiled summary describing the power of having a politician in one's pocket and examples of how power and/or money corrupts us in a variety of ways.
Please know, I'm not a reader of any genre involving the word "financial". I'm a nonfiction reader; give me the Spanish Civil War, WWII, or Ancient History any day over the latest fiction fad. However, over the past few years I've decided to broaden my reading horizons and have invited fiction titles into my reading list. That said, the presented concept of financialization and its effects upon financial inequality, directions chosen by leaders in power and the direction of its ultimate demise are spot on. In the few years that have passed between publication and today, the snowball is rolling even faster down the proverbial hill, gaining speed as it rolls. Several times during the end of the story I needed to remind myself that this was, indeed, a work of fiction.
I found D.R. Bell's fiction style, his creative writing, to be more of a string of consciousness at times and this was greatly appreciated. I don't need a dryly edited version of a story for enjoyment and in fact prefer a novel to read the same way the narrator, if we were face-to-face, would describe their story to me.
There were surprises. I did not tie the entire plot to the Congressman, a bit slow on the uptake I guess, until it was revealed. And then it was crystal clear. Having the ending not be a pretty bow with a 'living happily ever after' ending suited my tastes wonderfully. Life, at least the life I'm living, rarely passes with loose ends neatly tied.
Money Corrupts - "I want a simple life." famous last words uttered by Pavel Rostin. In the end, I felt Andrei may have been the only truly 'free' character. The price he'd paid, the path taken, these were not easy and are normally set aside as undesirable. Yet he had figured out his priorities, felt he'd lived as ethically as possible and understood the peace associated with having not much more than confidence in a life's path wisely chosen.
* This is an honest review given since I received a free Kindle copy in a Goodreads giveaway. I could have also read the title through my Amazon Unlimited subscription, and will be using this service to read books 2 and 3 in the series.
My greatest takeaways included the book's smartly presented financial plot, the coyly veiled summary describing the power of having a politician in one's pocket and examples of how power and/or money corrupts us in a variety of ways.
Please know, I'm not a reader of any genre involving the word "financial". I'm a nonfiction reader; give me the Spanish Civil War, WWII, or Ancient History any day over the latest fiction fad. However, over the past few years I've decided to broaden my reading horizons and have invited fiction titles into my reading list. That said, the presented concept of financialization and its effects upon financial inequality, directions chosen by leaders in power and the direction of its ultimate demise are spot on. In the few years that have passed between publication and today, the snowball is rolling even faster down the proverbial hill, gaining speed as it rolls. Several times during the end of the story I needed to remind myself that this was, indeed, a work of fiction.
I found D.R. Bell's fiction style, his creative writing, to be more of a string of consciousness at times and this was greatly appreciated. I don't need a dryly edited version of a story for enjoyment and in fact prefer a novel to read the same way the narrator, if we were face-to-face, would describe their story to me.
There were surprises. I did not tie the entire plot to the Congressman, a bit slow on the uptake I guess, until it was revealed. And then it was crystal clear. Having the ending not be a pretty bow with a 'living happily ever after' ending suited my tastes wonderfully. Life, at least the life I'm living, rarely passes with loose ends neatly tied.
Money Corrupts - "I want a simple life." famous last words uttered by Pavel Rostin. In the end, I felt Andrei may have been the only truly 'free' character. The price he'd paid, the path taken, these were not easy and are normally set aside as undesirable. Yet he had figured out his priorities, felt he'd lived as ethically as possible and understood the peace associated with having not much more than confidence in a life's path wisely chosen.
* This is an honest review given since I received a free Kindle copy in a Goodreads giveaway. I could have also read the title through my Amazon Unlimited subscription, and will be using this service to read books 2 and 3 in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2022
Documented in the back of the book are resources and guides to the history this story is based upon. I haven't read Dr. Brzhinski's book but it's on my to read list. This story delves into the history of the siege of Leningrad, of which Putin's parents survived. It no doubt had a profound affect on them and on Putin as he grew up. But this book is about a fictional character who is the son of parents who also survived and were affected in a different direction. Pavel Rostin, the main character has come to Moscow to investigate his father's apparent suicide which has all the earmarks of suspicion around it. He finds a financial web of criminality which actually only takes advantage of the USA's weak financial regulation but is fraudulent none the less. The implication is a financial war as the new means of warring nations. The rise of too big to fail institutions, hedge funds making astounding amounts of money, corporations and big business growing and creating an environment that feeds the discord between the haves and have nots is the goal to defeat the USA. Pavel's business is a victim of web of criminality and murder and linked to his father's death. The book ended as i thought it would, so now onward to book two in this trilogy.
February 14, 2023
This book has been on my to-read list for quite some time, and it came up when searching my list for something with ‘metro’ in the title. It was written very well, and the story was intriguing, but I had a hard time getting into the book. The journal entries were crucial to the story, but were included in small snippets, which made it hard to tell which time period we were in.
Growing up with the Cold War as a fact of life, and with Russia’s attitudes now, it wasn’t hard to believe the lengths the Russians would go to to keep information hidden. But the whole concept of private citizen against the mighty Russian oligarchy has been overdone, and I struggled to finish the book.
There are two more books in this series – although book #2 was published and is set before this one – but I won’t bother looking for them.
Growing up with the Cold War as a fact of life, and with Russia’s attitudes now, it wasn’t hard to believe the lengths the Russians would go to to keep information hidden. But the whole concept of private citizen against the mighty Russian oligarchy has been overdone, and I struggled to finish the book.
There are two more books in this series – although book #2 was published and is set before this one – but I won’t bother looking for them.
January 7, 2017
Good but needs minor work
To be honest, I didn't finish this book. I wanted to, I tried to but it just want happening for me. For 1, it seemed to jump from one scene to another but then you'd realise that it was a new paragraph but the spacing hasn't been put it to show that. The other issue I had was the storyline, it felt like you were in a traffic jam.....slow, fast, slow, fast. Some parts the story moved along well but in other places I felt like I was reading at a standstill. The characters were basically the only constant.
To be honest, I didn't finish this book. I wanted to, I tried to but it just want happening for me. For 1, it seemed to jump from one scene to another but then you'd realise that it was a new paragraph but the spacing hasn't been put it to show that. The other issue I had was the storyline, it felt like you were in a traffic jam.....slow, fast, slow, fast. Some parts the story moved along well but in other places I felt like I was reading at a standstill. The characters were basically the only constant.
July 24, 2018
What a book!!
This is the first book that I have read from D. R. Bell. I really enjoyed it because it was partly based on actual events and people. The characters and the situations that they were faced with were believable. The best thing about this book was after the book was over Mr. Bell included an epilogue that explained a little more of some of the events and other things that were in the book. He also included other books on the subjects in case the reader wants to read more.
This is the first book that I have read from D. R. Bell. I really enjoyed it because it was partly based on actual events and people. The characters and the situations that they were faced with were believable. The best thing about this book was after the book was over Mr. Bell included an epilogue that explained a little more of some of the events and other things that were in the book. He also included other books on the subjects in case the reader wants to read more.
January 21, 2020
After reading Eleos, I wanted to find another book by DR Bell. The Metronome is well-crafted, well-paces & very relevant to our times. There is even a commentary section to refresh your memory about the different financial crises. A book as thorough as my enjoyment.
May 30, 2021
Shows the sadness during wartime and how greedy some people can be. Also shows a special humanity of some parents who would protect to the end. A different kind of book for me but I did enjoy it in ways.
July 28, 2018
I really enjoyed this one
September 29, 2018
Interesting perspective on modern day Russian/American relations. And horrifying glimpse at the suffering of Russian citizens during WWII
March 5, 2019
Throughly enjoyed this book
March 31, 2019
Fast paced and well executed in every way. Historical events are well researched and accurate. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
April 18, 2019
Interesting book! This is the first book that I have read which describes what life was like for the residents of Leningrad during the blockade that happened during WWII. Very interesting, but heartbreaking. It also talks about the U.S. and Russia, cold war till downfall of the Soviet Union. The financialization of economy and division within the U.S. could be our downfall.
July 18, 2019
Good book
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
October 10, 2020
Very good book with a plausible plot. The ending caught me by surprise.
December 24, 2022
Was a terrific book with a lot of clues. The end was a surprise with a lot of facts which are quote relevant to this very day. I encourage the reading of this piece of literature by all.
March 18, 2015
Pavel Rostin is a Russian emigre, a former scientist and hedge fund manager. Now divored, he haeads back to St. Petersburg when his father dies. It's an apparent suicide, the police say. But something is fishy. Pvel flies to Moscow suspecting that his father sent him something. He's right---a package, which is promptly stolen from him. Pavel heads back to the States, reading his father's diary on the way. There are lengthy descriptions of the siege of St. Petersburg during WWII.
Pavel gradually learns that former hedge fund partner, Martin, likely swideled him prior to the fund's collapse---and had an affair with his wife.
Well that just the tip of the story. Shuttling between Russia and the US, Pavel tries to learn the truth about his dad's deth. The missing pages of the diary resurface, along with a brother he never knew about. And he's plunged into uncovering a tangled web of stock and other financial transactions during and after the collapse of the USSR.
Lurking in the background is an attempt to explain the financial collapse of 2007.
It's a complex tale, laced with details about the privations in WWII, the machinations of the Soviet elite as the state crumbles, and forays into US/Soviet/Russian foreign policy (whole chunks of neo-con and policy assessments appear). It's a good way to learn about another country and think about why Russian/Soviet leaders are so paranoid, or seemingly so. Fascinating as this is, however, the book is ripe for editorial trimming. The story would be much stronger if the manuscript had been pruned.
There is a sub plot of Pavel's relationships with women: his former wife, Karen; his former lover, Anya; and his current love interest, Sarah; and his daughter....
I wonder why I kept reading this.
Pavel gradually learns that former hedge fund partner, Martin, likely swideled him prior to the fund's collapse---and had an affair with his wife.
Well that just the tip of the story. Shuttling between Russia and the US, Pavel tries to learn the truth about his dad's deth. The missing pages of the diary resurface, along with a brother he never knew about. And he's plunged into uncovering a tangled web of stock and other financial transactions during and after the collapse of the USSR.
Lurking in the background is an attempt to explain the financial collapse of 2007.
It's a complex tale, laced with details about the privations in WWII, the machinations of the Soviet elite as the state crumbles, and forays into US/Soviet/Russian foreign policy (whole chunks of neo-con and policy assessments appear). It's a good way to learn about another country and think about why Russian/Soviet leaders are so paranoid, or seemingly so. Fascinating as this is, however, the book is ripe for editorial trimming. The story would be much stronger if the manuscript had been pruned.
There is a sub plot of Pavel's relationships with women: his former wife, Karen; his former lover, Anya; and his current love interest, Sarah; and his daughter....
I wonder why I kept reading this.
December 6, 2014
The Metronome was written as a prequel to The Great GameThe Metronome. This book will give the background story of how everything came to be the way it is today, and why the story of the Great Game played out the way it did. This is a novel but many of the facts are all too real. You will recognize them immediately. In the Epilogue the author explicitly states and sites which are real and which are not with references that can be checked.
It is the story of a (fictional)family that lived in Russia under several of the different political regimes. One more horrific then the next. It is about how that family survived. The son, Pavel, ultimately meets an American girl, falls in love and goes to America to marry her. The marriage has failed and now the Russians have to attempt to sabotage him into helping them. Does it work?
All I can promise you is that this book will give you the shivers--too much of it is what is happening now or has happened in our recent past. Once you have read this you will want to read The Great Game and I want to read the third book whenever it comes out.
It is the story of a (fictional)family that lived in Russia under several of the different political regimes. One more horrific then the next. It is about how that family survived. The son, Pavel, ultimately meets an American girl, falls in love and goes to America to marry her. The marriage has failed and now the Russians have to attempt to sabotage him into helping them. Does it work?
All I can promise you is that this book will give you the shivers--too much of it is what is happening now or has happened in our recent past. Once you have read this you will want to read The Great Game and I want to read the third book whenever it comes out.
December 24, 2014
******SPOILER ALERT******
I really enjoyed this book up to the very end...and then I hated it! The writing was superb. The plotline was interesting and the characters very engaging. I found the subject matter incredibly diverse and interesting.
Now for the negatives of which there is only one...
WHO KILLS OFF THEIR MAIN CHARACTER AT THE END OF THE BOOK?!?
I spent so much time getting to know Pavel and the writing was so good that I found myself actually caring about what happened to him. The story line wrapped up nicely and I was ready for him to ride off into the sunset so to speak. Then there is an epilog that is his funeral and everything I thought had just happened (getting the bad guys, mailing off the proof) was gone. The bad guys won and I HATED it!!
Maybe I'm just a sucker for a happy ending, or even just a so so ending, but this killed me. I spent all of that time reading it only to absolutely hate how it ended.
I really enjoyed this book up to the very end...and then I hated it! The writing was superb. The plotline was interesting and the characters very engaging. I found the subject matter incredibly diverse and interesting.
Now for the negatives of which there is only one...
WHO KILLS OFF THEIR MAIN CHARACTER AT THE END OF THE BOOK?!?
I spent so much time getting to know Pavel and the writing was so good that I found myself actually caring about what happened to him. The story line wrapped up nicely and I was ready for him to ride off into the sunset so to speak. Then there is an epilog that is his funeral and everything I thought had just happened (getting the bad guys, mailing off the proof) was gone. The bad guys won and I HATED it!!
Maybe I'm just a sucker for a happy ending, or even just a so so ending, but this killed me. I spent all of that time reading it only to absolutely hate how it ended.
December 8, 2014
This is a fascinating book on multiple levels. The protagonist is a Russian former physicist who shifted from science to finance when he immigrated to the United States. His employer, a brokerage house who trades is derivative financial products, is convinced that his mathematical formulae can be used to predict changes in financial markets. Meanwhile we learn that his estranged father, a former Russian detective, has come to the United States and is exhibiting odd behavior. It seems that the Russian mob has decided to get a piece of the action during a time when some would pay shill buyers to apply for mortgages on homes, with the expectation that the loans would go into default, and the government would reimburse the "lenders" for 90% of the loss. Nice work if you can get it, but illegal and unsustainable. No "tells" to spoil the ending. A good. enough novel for me to overlook a number of proofreading errors early on in the tale.
January 20, 2015
First off...amazing cover. I found myself repeatedly looking at the cover of this book...two different photos of the same place at different times in history. Great idea. The book is historical fiction, much of the events described in this book actually happened but to different people. Just like Steve Berry does, Bell includes a few pages at the end of the book that will let the reader know what was factual and what was imagined. This is historical fiction, political thriller, mystery and action adventure all wrapped up in one book. I have never heard of this author before but I would rank them up there with Steve Berry and Michael Crichton easily. I will not give any spoilers but I will say that the father's diary captivated me and sent me to google to look up more concerning Germany's attack on Russia during WWII. This book still haunts me and I cannot seem to get some of the images out of my head and oddly I don't want to.
February 19, 2015
Very exciting, well-written, informative historical/political fiction concerning a man who was born and raised in the Soviet Union, emigrates to the US, marries an American woman, and becomes embroiled in a mystery that involves his family home in Russia. Solving this mystery takes him all over the US and also traveling between Moscow & St. Petersburg. It includes an up-close-and-personal view of the horrific Siege of Leningrad and also a current economic scenario which could explain our (the US') current up-and-down relationship with the former Soviet Union.
Chilling & plausible. It's also of note that a few names of current behind-the-scenes political leaders in the US are specifically cited in the exacerbation of the current tensions between the US & Russia. These are some of the same names mentioned as part of Jeb Bush's election 'team'. Let's see how this plays out.
Chilling & plausible. It's also of note that a few names of current behind-the-scenes political leaders in the US are specifically cited in the exacerbation of the current tensions between the US & Russia. These are some of the same names mentioned as part of Jeb Bush's election 'team'. Let's see how this plays out.
July 3, 2015
Educational, detailed insight into Russia
Several years I spent some time in Leningrad. Even then, the different guides casually alluded to a past history which would be unbelievable to those of us in the groups. Bell, though perhaps too wordy, certainly puts the reader into the past and present of a country with which we are entangled. Even the fictional characters step from the pages, with their absolutely horrifying stories. I do believe that this novel should be required reading for anyone hoping to understand present day world affairs.
Several years I spent some time in Leningrad. Even then, the different guides casually alluded to a past history which would be unbelievable to those of us in the groups. Bell, though perhaps too wordy, certainly puts the reader into the past and present of a country with which we are entangled. Even the fictional characters step from the pages, with their absolutely horrifying stories. I do believe that this novel should be required reading for anyone hoping to understand present day world affairs.
September 5, 2015
This is book one of the Counterpoint Trilogy. The trilogy is based on a conspiracy by the Russians, Chinese, and others to bring on the US demise by undermining the US financial system. Helped on by the excesses of Wall Street, etc., the consipirators only have to encourage more of the same behaviors that the US is already allowing. If you want a good conspiracy book with roots in the 2008 financial crisis with murder and mystery start with this book and read on.
April 14, 2015
Dissapointing
I'm disappointed as the reviews are misleading. The book started off exciting which kept you in suspense, you just know you're not going to be disappointed because of the long drawn out historical findings, so you tell yourself they have got to be leading to something spectacular, after which the suspense came to an abrupt halt then it ends and your left feeling dumb founded.
I'm disappointed as the reviews are misleading. The book started off exciting which kept you in suspense, you just know you're not going to be disappointed because of the long drawn out historical findings, so you tell yourself they have got to be leading to something spectacular, after which the suspense came to an abrupt halt then it ends and your left feeling dumb founded.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews