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Amba
THE DEADLIEST PREDATOR ALIVE HAS TWO LEGS IN THIS STRIPPED-DOWN STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL—A THRILLER WITH HEART.
Primorsky Krai—a remote wilderness in the Russian Far East encompassed by endless hills, vast forests, and long winters that bury the land in snow and silence. This is the last place in the world where Siberian tigers—otherwise known as AMBA to the indigenous Udege people—prowl in the wild.
Ex Elite Russian Special Forces Sniper Yuri Kaskilev has found home in the twelve-man Anti-Poaching Brigade in Primorsky Krai. Protecting the area’s great cats has given him a sense of purpose he’s never known before.
But when Yuri rescues two tiger cubs from their dying mother, he unleashes an unforeseen chain of events. As he and his partner rush the wriggling cubs to scientists at a nearby nature reserve, they come across three poachers heading to inspect their traps, and Yuri is startled to recognize one of them as a former comrade.
Suddenly, the violent world Yuri thought he left behind is closer than ever…
Until he meets Dr. Miko Katanabe, one of the world’s leading tiger experts. As she attempts the unthinkable—training the motherless cubs and introducing them into the wild upon maturity—it becomes apparent that she may have found a way to bolster the jungle cats’ dwindling population. So, when one of the cubs escapes into the surrounding wild, Yuri and Miko chase after it in a desperate pursuit.
Along the way, these two proud and fiercely independent individuals must learn to work together to track the frightened cub while also surviving a night in sub-zero elements and fending off vicious attacks by a rogue tiger following their trail.
Will Yuri discover the middle ground between peace and violence in order to save all AMBA and the woman he has come to love? Can Miko learn to trust Yuri and accept his violent past?
Primorsky Krai—a remote wilderness in the Russian Far East encompassed by endless hills, vast forests, and long winters that bury the land in snow and silence. This is the last place in the world where Siberian tigers—otherwise known as AMBA to the indigenous Udege people—prowl in the wild.
Ex Elite Russian Special Forces Sniper Yuri Kaskilev has found home in the twelve-man Anti-Poaching Brigade in Primorsky Krai. Protecting the area’s great cats has given him a sense of purpose he’s never known before.
But when Yuri rescues two tiger cubs from their dying mother, he unleashes an unforeseen chain of events. As he and his partner rush the wriggling cubs to scientists at a nearby nature reserve, they come across three poachers heading to inspect their traps, and Yuri is startled to recognize one of them as a former comrade.
Suddenly, the violent world Yuri thought he left behind is closer than ever…
Until he meets Dr. Miko Katanabe, one of the world’s leading tiger experts. As she attempts the unthinkable—training the motherless cubs and introducing them into the wild upon maturity—it becomes apparent that she may have found a way to bolster the jungle cats’ dwindling population. So, when one of the cubs escapes into the surrounding wild, Yuri and Miko chase after it in a desperate pursuit.
Along the way, these two proud and fiercely independent individuals must learn to work together to track the frightened cub while also surviving a night in sub-zero elements and fending off vicious attacks by a rogue tiger following their trail.
Will Yuri discover the middle ground between peace and violence in order to save all AMBA and the woman he has come to love? Can Miko learn to trust Yuri and accept his violent past?
348 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 23, 2022
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6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 17, 2022
Andrew Hallman – Amba – Reviewed 4/16/22 – Read 4/10/22
Man vs. beast, and the beast loses. They may be big & fierce, but the bullet will take them down.
Walking away from the world of war, Russian SF sniper Yuri Kaskilev has finally found a place where he fits and is happy. When Yuri rescues two tiger cubs from a dying mother that had been caught in a poachers trap, Yuri’s world turns upside down. He feels guilty that he had to kill the mother to be able to rescue her cubs, so he wants to make sure that they have a chance to survive. But when fate steps in the form of a little woman named Dr. Miko Katanable, one of the world’s leading tiger experts, Yuri is told that she will take over and for him to step aside. When his heart hurts, in addition to the injuries given to him by their mother, Yuri finds that he will do everything he can to protect the cubs for poachers that will be after them. Cubs this size will bring top dollar on the open market. Getting Miko to accept his help will be his biggest problem, but he is up to the job, and the story begins.
Join Yuri and Miko as they fight for the cubs, plus learn how to work with each other…
What did I like? Holy mackerel, this book reached out to me and captured my heart. My family can tell you I support saving the lives of the threatened tigers of our world, but to read this account, and yes, I know it is just a story, but the fact is there are scoundrels out there that would do these things, and they must be stopped at all costs. The tigers are one of the most magnificent animals on this earth, and even with their size, they have no way of surviving if we don’t take a hand in the matter.
What will you like? This incredible storyline will reach out to you; it is exciting, heartbreaking, yet heart-lifting, all with the love of one man that wanted to see two helpless baby tigers live. The characters are magnificent, but the babes are heartbreakers! The storyline is incredible, giving us a bird's eye view of this life that threatens the world of endangered animals. Not only the tigers but many others need our help. Andrew Hallman has given us a look into this problem with his incredible account “Amba,” Don’t miss it! Available NOW!!!
• ASIN: B09SHFZV92
• Publisher: Rough Edges Press
• Publication Date: 3/23/2022
• File Size: 3796 KB
• Print Length: 377 pages
• Genre: Action & Adventure Literary Fiction, Men's Adventure Fiction, War & Military Action Fiction
Man vs. beast, and the beast loses. They may be big & fierce, but the bullet will take them down.
Walking away from the world of war, Russian SF sniper Yuri Kaskilev has finally found a place where he fits and is happy. When Yuri rescues two tiger cubs from a dying mother that had been caught in a poachers trap, Yuri’s world turns upside down. He feels guilty that he had to kill the mother to be able to rescue her cubs, so he wants to make sure that they have a chance to survive. But when fate steps in the form of a little woman named Dr. Miko Katanable, one of the world’s leading tiger experts, Yuri is told that she will take over and for him to step aside. When his heart hurts, in addition to the injuries given to him by their mother, Yuri finds that he will do everything he can to protect the cubs for poachers that will be after them. Cubs this size will bring top dollar on the open market. Getting Miko to accept his help will be his biggest problem, but he is up to the job, and the story begins.
Join Yuri and Miko as they fight for the cubs, plus learn how to work with each other…
What did I like? Holy mackerel, this book reached out to me and captured my heart. My family can tell you I support saving the lives of the threatened tigers of our world, but to read this account, and yes, I know it is just a story, but the fact is there are scoundrels out there that would do these things, and they must be stopped at all costs. The tigers are one of the most magnificent animals on this earth, and even with their size, they have no way of surviving if we don’t take a hand in the matter.
What will you like? This incredible storyline will reach out to you; it is exciting, heartbreaking, yet heart-lifting, all with the love of one man that wanted to see two helpless baby tigers live. The characters are magnificent, but the babes are heartbreakers! The storyline is incredible, giving us a bird's eye view of this life that threatens the world of endangered animals. Not only the tigers but many others need our help. Andrew Hallman has given us a look into this problem with his incredible account “Amba,” Don’t miss it! Available NOW!!!
• ASIN: B09SHFZV92
• Publisher: Rough Edges Press
• Publication Date: 3/23/2022
• File Size: 3796 KB
• Print Length: 377 pages
• Genre: Action & Adventure Literary Fiction, Men's Adventure Fiction, War & Military Action Fiction
May 25, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and BookSirens for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It has been published in March 2022.
"Amba" by Andrew Hallman is a riveting mix of thriller, action and adventure, with just a touch of romance thrown in for good measure, and possibly the slightest hint of magical realism (although this last element is kept so ambiguous through the narration that it's really up to the reader to decide whether it is even there).
On the surface, it's a story about the rewilding of two orphaned tiger cubs - which is an awesome topic to start with - and about survival in the unforgiving conditions of winter in the Russian taiga. On a deeper level, though, it's a story about grief, guilt, resilience and redemption, and all these themes make the novel extremely relatable to me, and I believe to anyone who will read it.
I loved the complex, multi-faceted characters (my favourite was Khagan, and you know you're reading a 5-star book when even the non-human characters in it are given their own unique voice, distinct personality and credible motivations). I loved the action scenes, which were thrilling without being overdone (as is too often the case with this kind of scenes). Most of all, I loved the characters' growth arcs, and the psychological insight into PTSD recovery, which I found very realistically portrayed.
Also, kudos to the author for creating such powerful feminist icons in Miko and Utiuki! It's refreshing to find a male author capable of writing such beautifully strong female characters.
I can easily see this book being adapted into a Hollywood blockbuster, and I'm looking forward to watching that.
Last but not least, the cover of this book is a stunning piece of art.
If I could give "Amba" more than five stars, I would!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
"Amba" by Andrew Hallman is a riveting mix of thriller, action and adventure, with just a touch of romance thrown in for good measure, and possibly the slightest hint of magical realism (although this last element is kept so ambiguous through the narration that it's really up to the reader to decide whether it is even there).
On the surface, it's a story about the rewilding of two orphaned tiger cubs - which is an awesome topic to start with - and about survival in the unforgiving conditions of winter in the Russian taiga. On a deeper level, though, it's a story about grief, guilt, resilience and redemption, and all these themes make the novel extremely relatable to me, and I believe to anyone who will read it.
I loved the complex, multi-faceted characters (my favourite was Khagan, and you know you're reading a 5-star book when even the non-human characters in it are given their own unique voice, distinct personality and credible motivations). I loved the action scenes, which were thrilling without being overdone (as is too often the case with this kind of scenes). Most of all, I loved the characters' growth arcs, and the psychological insight into PTSD recovery, which I found very realistically portrayed.
Also, kudos to the author for creating such powerful feminist icons in Miko and Utiuki! It's refreshing to find a male author capable of writing such beautifully strong female characters.
I can easily see this book being adapted into a Hollywood blockbuster, and I'm looking forward to watching that.
Last but not least, the cover of this book is a stunning piece of art.
If I could give "Amba" more than five stars, I would!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 7, 2022
From the wonderful opening scene (honestly one of the best I’ve read) through to the very end, there was action and intrigue that never failed to hold my attention, all with the kind of writing I love to read. Beautifully done with descriptions and detail in every scene that brought me right into the frozen and largely uninhabited world where the tigers exist, where Yuri makes his way, tracking, protecting and trying to survive. He’s a complicated character, the background information makes that clear. At times his quest seems to be almost spiritual, especially when he crosses paths with a couple of old souls who have long been coexisting in the forest. All of the characters are well drawn, even the tiger cubs have personalities, and they all have their own agendas, which leads to a bit of wondering who in the cast of characters can be trusted to make the best choices, or who can be trusted in general. Would make a good movie too!
April 10, 2022
BREATHTAKING HAPPENINGS IN A FAR WORLD
BEST STORY I'READ IN YEARS AND YEARS!!! Took me out of home & into the cruel world of the taiga, where the last of the tigers try to stay away from people and live their lives..... This book was so real and brilliantly writ, there were times I wasn't reading it but living it!!!!
BEST STORY I'READ IN YEARS AND YEARS!!! Took me out of home & into the cruel world of the taiga, where the last of the tigers try to stay away from people and live their lives..... This book was so real and brilliantly writ, there were times I wasn't reading it but living it!!!!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews