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Foreign Exchange: A Doctor Rowena Halley Short
In post-Soviet Russia, crime fights you.
Rowena Halley has spent all her money and her last winter break before her dissertation defense to visit her fiancé Dima in Moscow. But instead of planning the wedding, he’s focused on fighting crime. An opposition journalist, Dima is used to attracting trouble. This time around, though, he may not be the only target. In the Wild, Wild East, crime fights back, and Rowena may be its next victim.
Set against the backdrop of the Euromaidan revolution and the turbulence of the North Caucasus, “Foreign Exchange” tells a story of the clash between love, honor, and international politics. This 20,000-word novelette is a prequel to the Doctor Rowena Halley series, but can be read as a standalone work.
Content warning: adult language.
Rowena Halley has spent all her money and her last winter break before her dissertation defense to visit her fiancé Dima in Moscow. But instead of planning the wedding, he’s focused on fighting crime. An opposition journalist, Dima is used to attracting trouble. This time around, though, he may not be the only target. In the Wild, Wild East, crime fights back, and Rowena may be its next victim.
Set against the backdrop of the Euromaidan revolution and the turbulence of the North Caucasus, “Foreign Exchange” tells a story of the clash between love, honor, and international politics. This 20,000-word novelette is a prequel to the Doctor Rowena Halley series, but can be read as a standalone work.
Content warning: adult language.
79 pages, ebook
Published April 12, 2019
10 people want to read
About the author
Sid Stark
15 books18 followersUnder her other name, Sid lives a life very similar to that of her characters, although with more tedious grading and fewer exciting chase scenes.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 12, 2019
Foreign Exchange by Sid Stark is a scary book and one that is increasingly topical as more and more journalists are threatened, jailed, or killed. The problem is presented to us in daily headlines from all over the world. This short story is concerned with Russia, Ukraine, the US, and Chechnya. It is also a story of changing loyalties as disaffected individuals change sides but still have connections with and feel loyalty to former colleagues.
Rowena Halley is a doctoral candidate preparing for her defense and a possible tenure track position at a university. She has decided to postpone her defense a few months and visit her fiancé in Moscow. She had visited him every year for the past six years because it was easier for her to go to Russia than for Dima (Dmitry Vladimirovich Kuznetsov) to enter the US. Not only were there more hoops in the American process, but Dima also was a known activist journalist in Russia, and for him to get permissions to leave Russia would be difficult.
This is an action novel as Dima must leave his house every day and evade known but unseen surveillance. It becomes more difficult when those wishing Dima harm turn to threatening Rowena and Dima’s mother, Galina. It can be difficult to follow all the factions wanting to harm Dima. In one case a Chechnyan and a Russian form a team to threaten Dima. Forces, some from a group with which Dima used to serve, have beaten him. Neighbors are spies.
This story can be eye-opening for readers not familiar with Russia and the machinations going on in the area. There is the government with its political factions, criminal groups, NGOs, and journalist organizations. I consulted a map while reading this story.
It is also revealing about what can happen to a US passport holder traveling abroad. Does anyone still think the US State Department acts responsibly in assisting US citizens in trouble? As a person living abroad, I can state only the naïve believe this.
This short story is more scary than entertaining. I felt it deserves four Amazon stars and I will read more work by Sid Stark.
Rowena Halley is a doctoral candidate preparing for her defense and a possible tenure track position at a university. She has decided to postpone her defense a few months and visit her fiancé in Moscow. She had visited him every year for the past six years because it was easier for her to go to Russia than for Dima (Dmitry Vladimirovich Kuznetsov) to enter the US. Not only were there more hoops in the American process, but Dima also was a known activist journalist in Russia, and for him to get permissions to leave Russia would be difficult.
This is an action novel as Dima must leave his house every day and evade known but unseen surveillance. It becomes more difficult when those wishing Dima harm turn to threatening Rowena and Dima’s mother, Galina. It can be difficult to follow all the factions wanting to harm Dima. In one case a Chechnyan and a Russian form a team to threaten Dima. Forces, some from a group with which Dima used to serve, have beaten him. Neighbors are spies.
This story can be eye-opening for readers not familiar with Russia and the machinations going on in the area. There is the government with its political factions, criminal groups, NGOs, and journalist organizations. I consulted a map while reading this story.
It is also revealing about what can happen to a US passport holder traveling abroad. Does anyone still think the US State Department acts responsibly in assisting US citizens in trouble? As a person living abroad, I can state only the naïve believe this.
This short story is more scary than entertaining. I felt it deserves four Amazon stars and I will read more work by Sid Stark.
January 1, 2025
Grad student Rowena Halley is in Moscow to spend a week with her fiance, Dima, whose professional career has turned from soldier to journalist. In a politically charged climate, Dima's views could have serious consequences for Rowena.
This was a completely different side to the Rowena I know from the Doctor Rowena Halley series, and it was an eye-opener to see where she had come from. Now, five years on, that part of the world has drastically changed. This look into the past was thought-provoking—seeing how rapidly history can write (or rewrite) itself is frightening.
This was a completely different side to the Rowena I know from the Doctor Rowena Halley series, and it was an eye-opener to see where she had come from. Now, five years on, that part of the world has drastically changed. This look into the past was thought-provoking—seeing how rapidly history can write (or rewrite) itself is frightening.
January 25, 2020
Engaged couple in Moscow talk about incompatible future - 4 stars
Short story of romantic American (Rowena (Innochka)), who is trying to finish her PhD thesis, a Russian (Dima) who is Rowena's fiancé. Dima had been a special services soldier but has become a journalist. Dima's mother (Galina) is a physician; she is knowledgeable about Russian literature.
In a normal world, the couple would be married, possibly locate to the United States, have children and try to get Galina to reside nearby.
In contemporary Moscow, corruption is rampant and journalists who tell the stories that well connected people want covered up cannot live freely. Beatings and threats are offered as preludes to even nastier things.
The story builds after Rowena is abducted to get Dima to drop his investigation into an oil fueled power grab.
Rather than a cloak and dagger fiction, this seems to be based on actions almost an indictment of the decline of Russia. It seems to be a biography rather than a imaginary romance.
The next book in the series is Campus Confidential; it should resolve the romance if not the problems associated with oligarchy.
Short story of romantic American (Rowena (Innochka)), who is trying to finish her PhD thesis, a Russian (Dima) who is Rowena's fiancé. Dima had been a special services soldier but has become a journalist. Dima's mother (Galina) is a physician; she is knowledgeable about Russian literature.
In a normal world, the couple would be married, possibly locate to the United States, have children and try to get Galina to reside nearby.
In contemporary Moscow, corruption is rampant and journalists who tell the stories that well connected people want covered up cannot live freely. Beatings and threats are offered as preludes to even nastier things.
The story builds after Rowena is abducted to get Dima to drop his investigation into an oil fueled power grab.
Rather than a cloak and dagger fiction, this seems to be based on actions almost an indictment of the decline of Russia. It seems to be a biography rather than a imaginary romance.
The next book in the series is Campus Confidential; it should resolve the romance if not the problems associated with oligarchy.
October 23, 2019
I found Foreign Exchange, the prequel to the Dr. Rowena Halley series, to be well-written and touching.. I can’t find the words to describe it that don’t contain spoilers or hints of spoilers. I wish I had read this before reading the fun Summer Session. It certainly portrays another facet of Rowena. It also shows Sid Stark’s ability to write something with a deeper, complex subject matter. If you are considering reading this series, I recommend reading this book.
May 2, 2019
A rathrer emotional and somewhat realistic story about Rowena Halley an American working an her dissertation for her Phd and her love for a Russian jornalist Dima plans to visit Moscow over Christmas and New Years weigh heavily on both parties as Dima has local criminals after him due to his reporting efforts yet he has heavy emotions for his love for Rowena. Interesting reading
December 12, 2019
Dr. Rowena Halley, an American working an her dissertation for her Phd and her love for a Russian journalist Dima, plans to visit Moscow. This book is an emotional and somewhat realistic story about life in Russia. Keep you wanting to keep reading.
April 24, 2021
I listened to this on Youtube with Sid narrating. She does an excellent job. It was good to hear the background to the following stories.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews