A Profecia Romanov

by Steve Berry, Dina Antunes (Translator)

No dia 16 de Julho de 1918 o czar Nicolau II e toda a sua família são executados a sangue-frio, mas quando em 1991 se exumam os seus restos mortais descobre-se que faltam os cadáveres de dois dos seus filhos. Hoje, após a queda do comunismo, o povo russo decide democraticamente regressar à monarquia. E o novo czar será escolhido entre os parentes afastados do antigo Nicolau II. Quando o advogado americano Miles Lord é contratado para investigar um dos candidatos vê-se envolvido numa trama para descobrir um dos grandes enigmas da História: o que realmente aconteceu à família imperial. A sua única pista é uma críptica mensagem nos escritos de Rasputine que anuncia que aquele cruel capítulo não será o único na lenda dos Romanov. As consequências desta profecia serão devastadoras para o futuro do czar e para a mãe Rússia, mas também para o próprio Miles.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Adventure, Russia, Mystery Thriller

425 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 2004

About the author

 

Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of twenty-two novels, which include: The Last Kingdom , The Omega Factor , The Kaiser's Web, The Warsaw Protocol, The Malta Exchange, The Bishop’s Pawn, The Lost Order, The 14th Colony, The Patriot Threat, The Lincoln Myth, The King's Deception, The Columbus Affair, The Jefferson Key, The Emperor's Tomb, The Paris Vendetta, The Charlemagne Pursuit, The Venetian Betrayal, The Alexandria Link, The Templar Legacy, The Third Secret, The Romanov Prophecy, and The Amber Room. Steve has also co-written a novel with Grant Blackwood,  The 9th Man  (a Luke Daniels Adventure), and four novellas with M. J. Rose:  The End of Forever,   The House of Long Ago,   The Lake of Learning,  and  The Museum of Mysteries,  all Cassiopeia Vitt tales. His books have been translated into 41 languages with over 25,000,000 copies in 52 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists. Somewhere in the world, every thirty seconds, one of his novels is sold.

Reviews

[Paul Weiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pure escapist thriller only - don't look too deep!

Communism has fallen and the Russian people, not convinced of the value of a western style democracy, have decided to return to the monarchy. A specially appointed commission is about to annoint a new Tsar, the most logical alternatives being the living relatives of the Romanov family executed by revolutionaries in 1917. The Russian Mafia and wealthy American business elements, including Taylor Hayes, senior partner of a major US law firm, are not about to let go of the reins of power in Russia and lose the position and wealth they've amassed. They'll do whatever is necessary to ensure that their puppet, Stefan Baklanov, is the candidate chosen by the commission to accede to the throne and have asked Miles Lord, an associate in Hayes' firm, to investigate Imperial Russian and early Communist historical records to ensure that Baklanov's claim is the best it can possibly be. When Miles' archival search begins to uncover evidence that might jeopardize the Mafia's plans for the outcome of the commission election, the proverbial thriller messy stuff hits the fan. Of course, the chase is on to eliminate Lord and make sure the evidence is destroyed!

At one point during his seach, Miles Lord was deep in thought in the stacks of a Russian archive library, examining some recently de-classified top secret papers. When he was interrupted by Semyon Pashenko, professor of history at Moscow University, he commented " ... I was back in 1916 for an instant. Reading this stuff is like time travel." How appropriate for Berry to put such a statement into the mouth of his hero. I completely agree - that's exactly what reading a historical thriller should be! The transition from meticulously researched background to speculation, then into fiction and full throttle thriller and back again should be completely seamless and effortless. From this viewpoint, The Romanov Prophecy succeeds reasonably well.

But, insofar as the modern thriller part of the novel is concern, Berry's efforts are pretty weak fare. The love interest, Akilina Petrovna, a circus gymnast Lord meets during a train sequence in one of the overly frequent chase scenes, is cute, cuddly and warm. But, what the heck, she's mandatory! Who would expect a novel like this to be without some version of a femme? Orleg and Droopy, the Russian Mafia thugs are perhaps intended to be comic in some fashion - who can forget Mr Wint and Mr Kidd from 007's DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER - but their hapless efforts to chase down Lord only get them recognition as DUMB AND DUMBER. Character development in general is one-dimensional. In particular, Berry makes no attempt at all to explain why Lord and Petrovna were destined to fulfill the roles of the Raven and the Eagle in a multi-national achievement of a 100 year old prophesy babbled by Rasputin just before he died. We are left to merely wonder what happened to the Russian members of the power cartel after Thorn's ascension to the throne and Baklanov's failure in the commission's vote!

Don't go into this one with high expectations! If you're looking for a pure escapist thriller, you won't be disappointed - the scenes with the gorillas and the Russian borzoi hounds are pure Hollywood gone right over the top. Forget trying to find anything deeper - it just isn't there! Sit back, read, enjoy and have fun - don't think too hard about it.


Paul Weiss

[Michelle S · Rating 1 out of 5]

Any ideas on why books aren't rated for language/content? Anyway, the story line was interesting enough but I stopped reading the book because of the language. Note to authors; "F-bombs" really aren't necessary to add emphasis to a situation, it just creates characters who lack the capacity to express themselves with any degree of intellegence

[Mihaela Abrudan · Rating 5 out of 5]

O carte exact pe gustul meu, un pic din toate, un mit, o poveste polițistă, o tragedie fără precedent, o enigmă care a stârnit multe discuții. Una dintre cele mai bune cărți pe care le-am citit de la Steve Berry. Plecând de la o "profeție" de a lui Rasputin și de la dorința poporului rus de a-l readuce pe moștenitorul țarului Nicolae al II-lea pe tron Berry realizează un thriller pe care nu-l poți lăsa din mână.
P.S. Păcat că în realitate în acest moment Rusia are un "țar" sovietic.

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Romanov Prophecy by Steve Berry, the main character is Miles Lord, a black Atlanta lawyer involved in attempting to help the Russian people move their country in a direction that is more reflective of their tsarist history. He is a member of an international contingent preparing to help implement the change when he gets dragged into a political crisis that puts him on the top of a hitlist. This is an excellent story with nonstop action sequences. It is an adult language book with chase scenes and suspenseful, high tension. I do not understand why there should be an explicit language warning on a book for adults, but I see that some have rated this book low because the profanity offended their delicate sensibilities. Is that really necessary? Should not an adult assume that an adult book will incorporate adult themes and language. I found the language mild. There is torture in this espionage book. Animals are harmed in this book, as well. Oh, and someone gets their toes stepped on. This is a really good book.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading friends on goodreads reviews. I am also a Russian history nut and have traveled to St Petersburg and the Peter and Paul Fortress. This was such a fast paced intriging book that I read it in a couple of days. I think the mystery surrounding the missing children's bodys will never be solved. So, we have our wonderful imaginations to keep us interested.

By the way, I found the Amber room not as exciting. I have seen the real Amber room and and the privilege to speak with a Russian about its tragic history.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Historical fiction as far as it delves into the history and mythology surrounding the Romanov dynasty, focused on Nicholas II & family naturally, as the modern-day MC researches a potential descendant of the Romanovs. The contemporary story seems to belong in the speculative fiction genre as Russia is on the cusp of moving back to a monarchy after the collapse of Communism.

A secretive group wants to install a distant relative to the throne that could be manipulated by them & is setting it up so the appointed commision to "interview" candidates will select their choice. Miles Lord, American lawyer & Russian specialist, is conducting the background check on this candidate and soon discovers information that could upset those carefully crafted plans and sets in motion murder and mayhem, and he is the target. He is soon on the run and not sure who to trust as he follows cryptic clues of the Romanov prophecy.

After a brief historical prologue, chapter one starts out with a shocking opening In fifteen seconds Miles Lord's life changed forever. and I thought ok this is going to be a good escapist thriller, but soon bogs down and for me doesn't pick up the pace until probably the last quarter of the book. The escapes from near-death situations strains credulity, but I just tried to go with it.

The pluses were all the historical details, and the authors notes in the back that identified fact from fiction. It is amazing that to this day many (including myself) are still fascinated by the horrible events that led to the murder of Nicholas II and his family along with many of the nobility of the times.

The negatives: Not the promised roller-coaster ride, but a slower paced unfolding of the storyline interspersed with chases, bullets, & death-defying escapes. A couple of the paid thugs were horribly written caricatures and unbelievably inept.

I had previously read The Amber Room by the author many years ago and do remember it as unremarkable. So I am not sure if this author's writing style is for me, or if it was because I was so busy this past month that I didn't have large amounts of time for reading and reading in bits and pieces doesn't always allow one to get pulled in to the story.

[Ivana Books Are Magic · Rating 1 out of 5]

What I didn't like about this novel? Pretty much everything. I disliked the writing style (to put it mildly), I couldn't relate to the characters and I found the plot extremely dull. The whole thing seemed like a Hollywood blockbuster. A very dull and crazy unrealistic Hollywood blockbuster. I kept rolling my eyes. Lord (the protagonist) pretends he doesn't speak Russian (often for no particular reason) and this magically saves his life all the time. Nobody suspects he might indeed speak the language, even after Lord repeatedly stresses that he is researching Russian history and the Romanov with the permission of the Russian government.

There is this scene where a corrupt police speaks (on the phone) about planning to kill Lorn in front of him, and doesn't suspect Lord might understand him, despite the fact that Lord told him ten seconds ago that he is in Russia to do the kind of work that demands at least elementary knowledge of Russian language. Then Lord pushes him over and magically escapes from the police station (we don't learn how) into the street, easily mingling with other people and disappearing- despite the fact that the whole novel stresses the fact how Lord stands out everywhere because he is, in fact- African American. That makes no sense! Nothing makes any sense, I'm afraid.

The protagonist of this book is, as I said, an African American man. I'm going to take a wild guess and say that the author of this book is white. Did he make Lord black only to win some politically correct points? I can't say for sure, and I certainly can't speak for African American community, but I did cringe a few times. Yes, I had some issues with the way Lord was being described, and not just the odd Uncle Sam references that felt a bit racist. There was also that time when Lord's skin is being compared to a river- and it came of as offensive to me, even if it was done by a woman that was supposed to be attracted to him? And what is with saying that all Russian have yellowish skin? I found that offensive as well. There were other things I found offensive, but it would take me forever to list them all, so I'll just stop myself here.

I feel like I actually lost IQ points reading this novel. It is a shame because it could have been a good thriller. I mean the premise is pretty interesting, isn't it? But the book was such a disappointment. To conclude, The Romanov Prophecy is one of the worst thrillers (and books in general) that I have ever read. I can't believe I actually bought it! I think I'll even have to insert sad face emoticons, something I don't usually do but here it goes- :( :( :(

[Carmun · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bueno, por fin he acabado la lectura, que se me ha hecho un poco pesada, si es verdad que al final se hace más amena pero aún así se me ha hecho un libro demasiado largo. Supongo que esperaba algo más al tratarse del misterio de los Romanov.
En mi opinión, la historia está ligada demasiado fácil, el propio protagonista guía a los enemigos hasta ellos, una y otra vez, y tiene una fe ciega en otros seres humanos aunque intenten asesinarlo varias veces.
En resumen, no ha merecido el tiempo dedicado ni las expectativas creadas.

[M.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I choose this book to read because it was about the Romanovs. There was brief time in my life where I was interested in the last czar's family so the title caught my eye. I'm still interested in the topic, just not to the same degree.

The action never stops in this book. I think that's something that appeals to lots of readers. I don't always like the fast pace, but I have to admit, it does encourage you to continue reading.

Even though I've done my own research into the Romanovs, I have no idea how historically accurate the story was. And it's been some time since I read it anyway. But there was nothing that stuck out like a red thumb to me, so I'd say the author did his research. If the story is good enough, I can forgive some historical inaccuracies. Of course there are some blatant ones given that a lot of historians believe none of the family survived, but damn it makes a good story to ignore that fact.

[Ana M. Román · Rating 3 out of 5]

Profecía + Romanov = Ahí que voy yo de cabeza
Sin embargo, no ha llenado todas mis expectativas. Tiene un ritmo muy bueno, nada más empezar tenemos un tiroteo y una persecución. Y eso también elevó mis expectativas, menudo comienzo!

Sin embargo acabó resultando que la profecía era lo más patético que se puede inventar. Esperaba que hiciera alusión a los personajes por alguna carácteristica que resultara clave y que los definiera y estas características acabaron siendo el color de piel y el nombre. ¿Puede haber algo que defina menos a una persona? La "misión" podrían haberla realizado ellos como cualesquiera otros. También esperaba que hubiera que desentrañarla de alguna manera pero tampoco, lo más importante es una referencia a unos animales que acabaron siendo eso, animales, literalmente.

Me esperaba más después de las buenas críticas pero aunque reconozco que tiene un buen ritmo que evita caer en el aburrimiento no pasa de ahí. A destacar el final que me ha parecido muy realista.

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't really like this book at all. The only reason I kept reading was because I found some of the story that was actually about the Romanovs fairly interesting. If a book has either the Romanovs, Cesare Borgia, ancient Greece/Rome, or Arthurian legend, chances are...I'll like it. So it is saying a lot that I didn't like this book.

If you like formulaic conspiracy books (a la Da Vinci Code) it is possible you might like it. But I hate those kinds of books. Small people caught up in something bigger than them, always a man and a woman and some pathetic attempt at sexual tension, people out to kill them to keep the secret, old pretentious men who give unrealistic monologues full of information that they have spent their entire lives doing nothing but researching, following ridiculous clues around the world, and always ending up successful with dues ex machina moments in which the characters learn all the historical information is contrary to the facts that most people believe and cause all the pieces of the puzzle to neatly fall into place. Sorry if I ruined the book (and every other conspiracy book out there) for you ;)

You start right in the middle of the action. I get the purpose of this, to bring the reader in, but I had absolutely no connection to the character and that feeling continued throughout the book. Things about the lives of the characters (I guess to help you relate? unsuccessful) are thrown in via the characters thoughts and are forced and so loosely related to what is happening in the story that you wonder why the character would have chosen that particular moment to think about it. Or any moment at all since the back stories are not relevant to the story and are very poor attempts at character development.

It was also a little hard to relate to Russia electing to turn back into a tsarist nation.

So. That's that.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastical what-if story that really kept the pages turning quickly. I love that Steve Berry incorporates a lot of factual history and traditions into his storylines. He is a quality writer with a keen imagination.

I still feel sorry for the Tsar and his family every time I read an account about thier last days in the House of Special Purpose.

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 sterren - Nederlandse paperback

Weest gewaarschuwd als je dit boek wilt lezen: je wordt met grote kracht het verhaal ingezogen, ondergaat een rollercoaster van spanning en emoties.

Het is een zeer vlot boek. De achter- volgingen en de ontsnappingen zijn een beetje standaard zoals in iedere actiethriller, maar het boek heeft het van de historische details.

Vooral de verwevenheid van fictieve en echte verslagen van wat er met de Romanovs is gebeurd, de brieven van de tsarina, de figuren Raspoetin en Joessoupov maken het verhaal dat de middelmaat ver overschrijdt. Het is weer een echte Steve Berry. Ook het einde komt realistisch over, binnen het verhaal uiteraard. Je zult wel wat spelling moeten geven aan historische feiten, ze zijn met fictie verweven.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been a big fan of Steve Berry's thrillers for more than 10 years now. I especially like the historical mysteries as much as the action in the stories. I have been keeping up with his main series about Cotton Malone. This one, published in 2004, is one of the earlier books that Berry wrote, and is not in the Cotton Malone series.
The protagonist is a lawyer named Miles Lord and the setting at the beginning and in much of the book is Russia. It seems that the Russian people have voted to return the Romanov royal family back into power (this is before Putin tightened his hold on power in Russia!). Lord has the job to do background checks on the candidates to find the person with the strongest link back to Russia's last tsar, Nicholas II. We get into a lot of Russian history in this one, which I enjoyed, especially as we go back to the last days of Nicholas and his family, who were executed (martyred?) by the Bolsheviks in 1918. As Lord is nearly killed in Moscow, he begins to realize there's a lot more at stake than he knew. And before the "true" Romanov can be found, Lord has to learn what really happened to the Romanovs-- and find out the meaning of a prophecy made by the "mad monk" Rasputin.
I give this thriller a 3 which may be a little harsh, but I still prefer the stories that feature Cotton Malone!

[David Lucero · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was 4th book by the author I read and enjoyed it very much because it focuses on the Romanov legacy. His recurring character in his other books is not in this one, which I thought strange, and I thought it to be a good touch that the main character is a black man, fluent in Russian and well-educated. You don't find many books where African-Americans are thrust in the role of hero.

It's full of suspense, action, and leaves you wondering if the Romanov generation is alive and well.

With the fall of communism the Russian people want the monarchy back. Turns out there may be a descendant, and the powers that be will do all they can to stop this from coming to pass. When an Atlanta-based lawyer finds himself caught in the middle, he begins his most thrilling adventure as he searches for the truth. But he must do this at great cost, and one that will leave him dead if he fails.

[Piyangie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a stand alone novel by Steve Berry. What grabbed my attention towards this book was the title. Having always entertained a fascination for Russian history and knowing Berry's skill on good research, I was very much interested in reading it.
As the case with all Berry books, this too is a combination of history and fiction. I enjoyed reading history, although I feel he could have avoided the gruesome details on the massacre of the Imperial family. I also enjoyed the story based on that history, even though it is a little far fetched.
A good set of characters ranging from good to bad to worse were employed. The standard Berry features - quick pace, suspense and adventure, coupled with some additional Brownish trend to resort to clues and resolving puzzles made the reading all the more engaging.
Overall, a good and enjoyable read.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two long days of mowing the yard and I finished this intriguing tale. Yes- another audiobook. Berry can weave an interesting tale- well plotted and put together. Miles proved to be quite the resourceful- and lucky- protagonist. i pretty much knew how it would end- but the getting there kept me wondering and guessing.

[Toralf Saffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rasputins Prophezeiung

Der Niedergang Russlands nach Glasnost und Perestroika führt das Land auf einen ungewöhnlichen Weg, statt einer demokratischen Regierung mit einem Präsidenten, soll das Zarentum wiederbelebt werden und so dem strauchelnden Riesen wieder Stabilität bringen und die Nation zu neuem Glanz führen. Die Auswahl eines geeigneten Kandidaten obliegt einer Kommission, doch hinter den Kulissen sind verschiedene Interessensgruppen längst dabei einen Strohmann zu implementieren. Mittendrin steuert eine amerikanische Anwaltskanzlei den Prozess. Einer dieser Anwälte hat die Aufgabe in den Archiven Dokumente zu sichern, welche die Ansprüche ihres Kandidaten auf den Zarenthron untermauern. Doch Miles Lord stößt auf eine andere Spur, alte Dokumente deuten darauf hin, dass nicht alle Mitglieder der Romanowfamilie 1918 in Jekaterinburg ermordet wurden. Und dann ist da noch die Prophezeiung Rasputins.
Diese brisanten Informationen kommen einem Todesurteil für den jungen Anwalt gleich und eine gnadenlose Jagd beginnt. Einerseits auf der Flucht ist Miles Lord und seine neue Bekanntschaft zugleich auf der Fährte der Zarensprösslinge, eine Spur, welche vor Jahrzehnten gelegt wurde.
Berry schafft es geschickt zwischen Historie und Gegenwart zu wechseln, Tatsachen werden mit Fiction gemischt und manchmal driftet das Ganze auch schon ins Reich der Fantasie – aber es ist ein spannend und flüssig geschriebener Thriller voller Action und mit sympathischen Protagonisten, der den Leser zu fesseln versteht.

[Ned · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue my illogical and inexplicable fascination with Russian history with this historical novel based on The Romanov dynasty. In the last decade, I have read dozens of books, novels and historical texts about Russia and the Soviet Union -- with a bizarre emphasis on the early secretive Soviet Space program. I have no clue how I developed this passion.

This is one of Steve Berry's early novels. His writing has since improved but the story here is quite good, once you cut him some slack about an unlikely premise -- a prophecy by Rasputin that for some reason must be followed to the letter almost 100 years later. Like his other books, I have read, this is a novel based on some good and fascinating history --The Romanovs and the execution of the entire royal family.

There is a very similar book I read last year, The Romanov Conspiracy by Glenn Meade -- which caused me some confusion until I realized they were two different books. I gave that book five stars instead of four. I liked it more. But this was still a good book that I devoured in two days.

I think I have read almost all of Steve Berry's novels now, and I must say he is consistently good. Unlike some other authors I read a lot. Steve Berry is Dan Brown without Brown's nonsense.

[Pierre Tassé (Enjoying Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

To begin with 4 1/2 stars. What a book. Started off a little slow and I missed having the normal notes page with some explaining from historical perspective. Other than that, this book is super charged with some great stories. I had the audio version. Read or listen to your heart's content and enjoy!

[Natasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

 This is a good read. It’s fun, with all the detail and history you expect from a Steve Berry thriller. The pacing is excellent, if not a little forced at times. Overall, it’s a great read and makes for a solid book.

[Mira Margitta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nije mi bila napeta i uzbudljiva kao što je napisano u sadržaju.Ne znam je li do mene ili knjige?Bila mi je malo dosadna i nerealna.

[Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ekaterinburg, Russia: July 16, 1918. Ten months have passed since Nicholas II’s reign was cut short by revolutionaries. Tonight, the White Army advances on the town where the Tsar and his family are being held captive by the Bolsheviks. Nicholas dares to hope for salvation. Instead, the Romanovs are coldly and methodically executed.

Moscow: Present Day. Atlanta lawyer Miles Lord, fluent in Russian and well versed in the country’s history, is thrilled to be in Moscow on the eve of such a momentous event. After the fall of Communism and a succession of weak governments, the Russian people have voted to bring back the monarchy. The new tsar will be chosen from the distant relatives of Nicholas II by a specially appointed commission, and Miles’ job is to perform a background check on the Tsarist candidate favored by a powerful group of Western businessmen. But research quickly becomes the least of Miles’ concerns when he is nearly killed by gunmen on a city plaza.

Suddenly Miles is racing across continents, shadowed by nefarious henchmen. At first, his only question is why people are pursuing him. But after a strange conversation with a mysterious Russian, who steers Miles toward the writings of Rasputin, he becomes desperate to know more–most important, what really happened to the family of Russia’s last tsar?

His only companion is Akilina Petrov, a Russian circus performer sympathetic to his struggle, and his only guide is a cryptic message from Rasputin that implies that the bloody night of so long ago is not the last chapter in the Romanovs’ story and that someone might even have survived themassacre. The prophecy’s implications are earth-shattering–not only for the future of the tsar and mother Russia, but also for Miles himself.

I enjoyed this book, it was interesting the mix of history and adventure.

[Billy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just say that I know nothing about Russia (except what I wrote in a report for 4th grade), yet this book was wonderful.
Even with all the history, the backstory, the politics, Steve Berry pulls off a wonderful thriller.
I have become very interested in the history of the Romanovs and Russia since finishing this book a few weeks ago. I have become a permanent fan of Steve Berry; I have read his 2 of his other works (3rd Secret, Templar Legacy) and can't wait to read The Amber Room.
This book centers on the fate of the heir to the Romanov throne, Czar of Russia. Berry weaves the past and present beautifully. He uses historical fact to create a story of conjecture which results in a work of brilliant historical fiction. The search for the Romanov heir and it's implications on the world, should that person be found, are laid out in a whirlwind journey around the globe. Just as well done as Steve Berry's other offerings.
If you like historical thrillers, even if you know nothing about Russia and the Romanovs, READ THIS BOOK!

[Lance Charnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given the general strangeness that goes on in modern-day Russia, the notion of restoring the tsar's throne is one of the less daffy ideas floating around out there. It could, of course, be argued they already have a tsar, though only a de facto one. Nonetheless, say the Russians decided an absolute monarchy with all the trimmings is the way to go. How might that turn out?

Steve Berry gave that scenario a whirl, and The Romanov Prophecy is the result.

In an unspecified time that looks like the middle years of Boris Yeltsin's chaotic presidency, the Russian people have decided they want to go back to the future. An official commission begins to work out how to restore the Romanov dynasty. High-priced Atlanta attorney and Russian-history geek Miles Lord ends up in Moscow researching one of the candidates to become the first Tsar of All Russia since Nicholas II went the way of all things during the Revolution. However, he turns over the wrong rocks and ends up the target for every malign force in Russia. They can't quite manage to get rid of Lord, though, who flees most of the way around the world tracking down obscure clues to a century-old conspiracy that may upend the commission's work and foil the malign forces that want the new tsar in their collective pocket.

Yes, it's a Dan Brown novel, only better-written and not about the Vatican.

Miles Lord is okay company on this journey. His backstory is a bit convoluted and he has a set of interests that are at best unlikely in someone of his background. As a person, though, he's bright but not brilliant, resourceful but not omnipotent, and humanly fallible when it suits -- in short, as regular a guy as you're likely to find in this kind of story. His suspension of disbelief comes as hard as ours does; he's just trying to do his job, not become a true believer (until the end). It's not hard to root for him when he faces regular mortal peril.

The puzzle in this plot centers around whether any of the Romanov children survived their family's slaughter at the hands of the Bolsheviks in 1918. Lord has to pick up shreds of arcana across Russia and in America while on the run, aided by the inevitable secret society dedicated to preserving the Russian crown and pursued by the equally inevitable cabal of shadowy people who want to pull strings behind the scenes. The author wrote this novel before The Da Vinci Code exploded on the world but follows the same basic template. The story works in this case because Lord isn't called on to make any near-miraculous leaps of deduction or otherwise display superhuman cognition or memory. You may, however, find the secret society's sheer perversity in hiding the clues to be a bit much to swallow.

Berry's supporting characters are mostly plot devices rather than fleshed-out personalities. Akilina, the pretty Russian circus gymnast (!) who ends up dropping her life to follow Lord around, has a few too many useful talents to be entirely believable. The bad guys are bad mostly because they can be; the authorities are useless because they can be; and so on. Everything happens in the service of the plot, not for the characters' moral or personal growth.

The saving grace here is -- as it often is in these kinds of books -- sheer speed. The author knows how to push a plot along smartly, how to end a chapter so you want to read just one more, and when to cut off the exposition right when you're about to say "enough, already." (This last talent gets a thorough workout with the bales of real history the author has to bolt onto his fictional history.) I got through the 416 pages in two sittings. The speed helps you overlook that the lawyer is awfully lucky, the baddies can't shoot straight, and money and travel time don't seem to be the problems for Our Heroes that they are for the rest of us.

Berry wrote this book before The Amber Room (which I liked a bit) but published it second; if you want to see his growth as an author, read this one first. Those two, along with The Third Secret and The Columbus Affair , are all standalones that lead up to the author's mainstay Cotton Malone series, an acquired taste I have yet to acquire.

The Romanov Prophecy sits firmly in the thriller subgenre dominated by The Da Vinci Code , but without (most of) the metaphysics and with a more relatable protagonist. It's got first-novel problems that it paves over with a sprinting narrative and great dollops of tragi-history surrounding one of the world's favorite conspiracy theories. Fun? Sure. You won't come out with a net loss of neurons. Take it for what it is (a good distraction from sitting in coach on a transatlantic flight) and you'll have a good time.

[Meann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like Dan Brown, Steve Berry is a guilty pleasure kind of read for me. And for the record, I don’t care much about historical accuracy (or inaccuracy, in Brown’s case,) I just like alternate history and the way these authors spin their stories.

I’ve read only 2 other books by Berry so far: The Amber Room and The Venetian Betrayal. I’ve come to like Cotton Malone as a protagonist in Venetian, so it took a while to adjust to someone different, like Miles Lord here in The Romanov Prophecy.

I got used to him alright, but I didn’t really like Miles all that much. The Romanovs, Rasputin, and the other historical side-characters were more interesting, which says a lot, considering most of them are dead throughout most of the book. Miles just seems to serve as a focal point for the plot to move forward, and that’s pretty much it. Heck, even characters who appear only during the last few chapters were more interesting than Miles. (Sorry, Miles. I mean, if you haven’t figured out who was really after you after all those security breaches, then… *shrug*)

I also had a problem with the first half of the book, which, although it began with a murder attempt (which is as good a beginning as any,) seemed to drag. Berry got into the more intriguing part of the plot–the “treasure hunt”–only about halfway through.

What pushed me to continue reading, though, were my interest in the conspiracy surrounding the alleged survival of Anastasia and Alexei, and several years’ worth of fascination with the Imperial Easter Eggs.

Did you say Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs, Steve? Now you have my attention.

Ever since high school, when I read about the eggs in Judith Krantz’s Princess Daisy (my mother liked Judith Krantz, and there was a time when I had to rely on her for books to read,) I’ve read up on them and Googled them several times. I like looking at the pictures and reading about the history of each egg and finding out where they are now.

In this book, Berry used the Lilies of the Valley egg as a plot point. This egg was given by Tsar Nicholas II to the Tsarina Alexandra on Easter (April 5) 1898. It is made of gold, rose pink and green enamel, diamonds, rubies, and pearls.

All the Imperial Eggs have a surprise; this one’s are miniature portraits of the Tsar and their 2 elder daughters painted on ivory, which are revealed by turning a pearl knob.

The egg is now part of the collection of The Link of Times Foundation (Russia). And that’s all for today’s Imperial Easter Egg lesson. :P

The ending of the book felt a bit rushed. I wanted more of a closure between Miles, Akilina, and the mysterious Semyon Pachenko, who served as the starting point for their quest, as well as some kind of crackdown on the people behind the manipulation of the Tsarist Commission. A royal coronation is well and good as endings go, but I wish Berry provided a few more details to wrap things up.

[C.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first Steve Berry novel I've read and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot is fast moving and contains a significant amount of Russian history and culture considering this is a thriller.

Some people might find the plot a bit straightforward. For those needing a complex plot to analyze, this probably isn't the right book. But the book moves along quickly through a DaVinci Code like search for clues to an ancient mystery. The author also weaves a plausible and compelling scenario with very high stakes for the actors.

I would recommend this to friends as a fun read and for thriller writers as a strong example of an engaging read.

[Michael Otto · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about Rasputin's alleged prophecy about the famous Russian Romanov royal family. How daughter Anastasia and her brother Alexie might have survived the execution of their family. If so, will there be descendants of them? Find out in this book which I would have given 5 star except for the fact of the f-word being used where it did not need to be since it added nothing the story.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this suspense/mystery/thriller with a historical bend. These kinds of books are a nice change of pace from what I usually read, so that's probably why I enjoy the few I do read. I have long been fascinated with the Romanov family and the tragedy of their eventual demise, and recently have been listening to /reading a nonfiction book on the family & Russia itself at that time. I got so interested in it, that I went through my book shelves and pulled a few fictional stories about them to read while I was "in the mood." This was my first choice. It was very fast paced, and it was obvious a lot of research went in to it. Real accounts & testimony was used for the flashbacks, making them as accurate as possible with the exception of the storyline addition. Romanov Prophecy was written priority to 2007, when the "missing" 2 bodies were found and positively identified as Romanov children. That being said, this story might never had been written if this has happened earlier. I knew all of this going in, and yet i still enjoyed the idea and story he put forth. Definitely worth a read for Romanov junkies.

[Suzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

uh knjiga je dobra ali cisto sumnjam da bi se dopala prosjecnom rusu, povratak carske obitelji na vlast u rusiji, rusenje lenjinovog mauzoleja, mislim da ne bi islo.... malo me zasmetalo predstavljanje rusije kao zatucane i zaostale i prikazivanje amerike kao superiornije bar sto godina naprednije ali OK masta pisca ali isplati se procitati :)