The Romanov Prophecy

Glad I didn't read some of the reviews before I got this book--loved the book and the idea of Tsarist Russia (so what if it may/may not happen, that is the point of a FICTIONAL book!). I do agree with other reviews in the sense that it was a John Grisham meets Dan Brown type novel. Fast paced and can't wait to pick up another Steve Berry book.

I normally don't like mystery books, but this one was great. It helped that it was about one of my favorite subjects, the Romanovs, but I also thought it was well written and VERY suspenseful.

If enough people knew about this book to put it on the best seller list, I have no doubt it would become the phenomenon that is The DeVinci Code. That's how good this book is. The book is built upon that much debunked but won't die theory that one or more of the Romanov children escaped the basement in Ekateranberg where the rest of the Imperial family was murdered. Because the escape of at least one child, Anastasia, is a well known urban myth, the plot will feel familiar to those who don't know a whole lot about the former Imperial rulers of Russia. The plot is plausable once you get over the fact that the entire urban myth about any Romanov's surviving the murder scene is laughable and has no basis in reality. But getting over that isn't hard if all you want is a good read. It is, after all, a fiction book. The chase and escape scenes are at least as well done and believable as those in The DeVinci Code with the exception of one towards the end of the book. But because it is fiction, I'm inclined to give the author a pass on that scene. The premise of a Russian return to tsarism in the book, while far fetched, isn't out of the relm of eventual possibility as Russians search to rid themselves of the mafia style oligarchs that have hijacked their attempts at dimocracy and find a style of government that actually can deliver on its promises. The author has also provided an extremely well designed premise for how Anastasia and Alexi could have survived the murder of their family and stayed in hiding throughout Lenin and Stalin's regimes. He builds well upon the Russian hiding of so much in their archives and Stalin's well known paranoia. If anyone would have gone to great lengths to cover an escape up had he known about it, it would be Stalin. I also give the author credit for not claiming, unlike another well known author, save for some quotations from Rasputin and character sketches of some of the dead Romanovs and other people that appear in the book, that ANY of this fiction is real. If you're looking for a good read based upon real historical people, this book is it.

This book caught my eye because of the historical backdrop and the reviews of authors whose work I enjoy. The book is wonderful. It combines historical fact, wonderful descriptions of past and present Russia, well-formed characters with motivation for their actions, excitement, and a believeable (if highly unlikely) outcome. The author writes in such a way that it is clear what is historical information and what is fiction. All story lines tie together nicely, and the book neither drags nor moves too quickly to its ending. I really do like Steve Berry's writing, and look forward reading more of his work.

Those who are interested in Romanov Tsarist Russia and also enjoy suspense fiction will find a real treat in this book. And even if you do not have a background in Tsarist history, but love a good thriller, make a beeline for The Romanov Prophecy. You'll find lots of hair-rising twists and turns and riddles comparable to those found in the DaVinci Code. All the historical background you need to understand the context of the events is included in the ingenious plot of the book. I learned about this book by hearing an ad for it on the radio. I was so eager to read it that I had it in my hands the next day. I was not disappointed. It's a fun read that blends fascinating history with the author's imaginative development of predictions made by Rasputin. Steve Berry is to be commended for coming up with this ingenious plot. If he keeps it up, readers have a lot of fun and exciting reading to look forward to.