1918 (book #2 from the trilogy Ordeal), deals with the events of 1918 in Russia, principally a rendition of historical fiction - and a lot more historical than fiction it would appear to me. Written and published in Russia in 1928, the readers are those living in Russia who have at least some semblance of understanding of Russian history. It was not published outside of Russia until 1953. As I tried to follow the events and political geography of 1918 (as one who has never studied that period), I was constantly confused by what was going on with the Bolsheviks, the Reds, Germans, the Whites, Cossacks, Czechoslovakians, Ukrainians, the Volunteer Army, the North-Caucasian army, etc. No clue from me about the events except that the Bolsheviks ultimately prevailed (I think).
A few thought clips from the novel were:
Rank, distinction, pensions, epaulettes, God, private property, the very right to live as one liked - all were gone. Canceled! It seemed as if time were rattling back towards long-past ages. It was the winter of the year when the second revolution, the October Revolution, broke out. [Very apt introductory description of what was coming.]
So long as the neighbours don't inform on us we'll see it through somehow. We're Russians, we're used to this sort of thing.
Death is easy, it’s living that’s hard.
Since I have seen such a lot of death, I want to go on living…Those fine people with their grand words about the salvation of the native land are all beast, swine….
So barely three stars.
But I will read #3 of the trilogy, "Bleak Morning", at some point.