| Title | : | Shadow Pass (Inspector Pekkala, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 055380782X |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780553807820 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 289 |
| Publication | : | First published February 1, 2011 |
| Awards | : | CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award (2011) |
In the shadows of one of history’s most notorious regimes, Pekkala is on a collision course with not only the Soviet secret police but the USSR’s deadliest military secrets. For what he’s about to unearth could put Stalin and his Communist state under for good—and bury Pekkala with them.
Shadow Pass (Inspector Pekkala, #2) Reviews
-
We begin our story about a decade+ past from the prior book in 1939, which came as a bit of a surprise as I thought we’d have a story (or two) set within the period 1928-38 when Stalin purged the Army amongst many other things. My immediate thought was we’ve missed a trick here skipping so many years!
As to our story, it’s a fast engaging start to the book. Inspector Pekkala is front & centre along with a “victim” & the many protagonists/colleagues involved with said murder. It’s not much to give away that the story revolves around the design of the T34 tank, hence the book title of the “Red Coffin” which was their nickname, the explanation as to why is given early on. The NKVD (Soviet secret police) are involved & Joe Stalin has a bit part too, to great effect too, with some of his mannerisms & obvious threat over those that surround him, with a fair hint of paranoia to his character. In some ways he’s quite a good foil to Inspector Pekkala & I hope we see more of this develop in the series as it has with the Tsar.
Talking of the Tsar..... the short flashback chapters used to flesh out Pekkala’s backstory in his days with the Tsar are again utilised to great effect as that part of the story holds as much interest for this reader as the present day.
As to the mystery it’s really no great shakes but does hold the interest, again the soviet machinations are present without any real detail or depth. Its a fairly quick read & not too taxing & i found myself wanting to read longer into the night with it which is always a good sign.
A 3.75 for me with the round upto a 4 & a series I’ll continue forward with. -
Ended up being disappointed by this book. Enjoyed the first,
Eye of the Red Tsar, much more. The flashbacks that provide history and perspective were fewer and not as interesting; they seemed almost contrived to fit the circumstances. I still like Inspector Pekkala and will read the next book about him, but will be looking for more character development about Pekkala, his assistant Kirov, and his relationship to Stalin. Stalin was an imposing historical figure, but in this book he seems like cardboard, only 1-dimensional. Pekkala seemed less confident about his status and investigative authority in this story. There is more buildup of Lysenkova in the plot summary than there is about the character in the story. Her involvement remains somewhat of a mystery and definitely a distraction to the main plot. Will she keep her job and appear in a later novel, or simply disappear? Look forward to another outing with Pekkala, a character reminiscent of Smith's moody detective, Arkady Renko, still quintessentially Russian. -
I enjoyed this despite a relative lack of pace and a sequence of flashbacks that, although interesting, didn’t further the plot. But I loved the setting and the main character so I’ll definitely read more of the series. The first one looks really good.
-
Vuonna 1939 Eurooppa on uuden maailmanpalon partaalla. Stalinin rautaisessa otteessaan pitämä Neuvostoliitto ei ole vielä valmis sotaan, ja niinpä uuden T-34-panssarivaunun pääinsinöörin murha herättääkin erityistä kiinnostusta Kremlissä. Tapausta lähetetään tutkimaan suomalaissyntyinen tarkastaja Pekkala, jolla on kokemusta niin Nikolai II:n palvelemisesta kuin Siperian vankileireiltäkin.
Sam Eastlandin kirjoittama "Puna-arkku" (Schildts, 2011) lienee tullut käännetyksi juuri Suomi-kytkentänsä takia. Syystä tai toisesta työ on kuitenkin aloitettu Tarkastaja Pekkala -sarjan toisesta osasta, mistä ei nyt suurempaa haittaa kirjan lukemisen kannalta ole, sen verran hyvin päähenkilön elämänvaiheita taustoitetaan muun muassa erilaisin takaumin, joissa törmätään muun muassa munkki Rasputiniin ja muihin tsaari Nikolain aikaisiin silmäätekeviin.
Meikäläisestä näkökulmasta Pekkala onkin kohtalaisen kiinnostava päähenkilö, joka ilmaisee teoksessa suomalaisuuttaan muun muassa lueskelemalla Kalevalaa ja kiroilemalla äidinkielellään. Lienee sitten toinen juttu, voidaanko moista pitää erityisen uskottavana - tuntuu nimittäin aika epätodennäköiseltä että Stalin ottaisi tsaarin suomalaissyntyisen luottomiehen lähipiirinsä.
Stalinin aikakauden Neuvostoliitto tarjoaa kiinnostavan miljöön sinänsä melko simppelille murhamysteerille. Eastland käyttääkin sivuja terrorin, ilmiantojen ja Siperian-karkoitusten kyllästämän ilmapiirin kuvaamiseen. Jonkinlaista mustaa huumoriakin aiheesta saadaan irti.
Kuului kalinaa kun Stalin laski kuulokkeen ja tarttui toiseen puhelimeen. "Ottakaa puheli majuri Derevjankolle Kiovaan", hän määräsi. "Miksi ei? Milloinka? Oletteko varma? Minä vai?" Stalin löi puhelimen kiinni. Sitten hän palasi taas langalle Pekkalan kanssa. "Derevjanko onkin likvidoitu. Poikkeavan sodankäynnin joukko-osasto lakkautettiin". (s.287)
Lukukokemuksena "Puna-arkku" jää unohdettavaksi, mutta kuitenkin ihan viihdyttäväksi välipalaksi. Luulisin, että kirja voisi kiinnostaa esimerkiksi kaikkia
Tom Rob Smithin Leo Davidov -romaaneista pitäneitä dekkarien ja jännityskirjallisuuden ystäviä. -
This is an interesting read even if the main character is implausible. The chief engineer in charge of developing the T34 tank is killed and it is up to Inspector Pekkala to investigate both the death and security at the research base. The story flows easily though it is interrupted by reminiscences which I failed to see the point of (it actually feels like the story is being padded here). Stalin is presented a a very nice fatherly figure (as if!) and there is little (if any) of the neurotic quality of Stalinist Russia in evidence. I was also disappointed that very little of the background story is based on fact - it is a genuine work of fiction into which the words "Stalin". "T34" and a few city names have been inserted.
-
Nell'URSS del 1939 Pekkala, un investigatore speciale alle dirette dipendenze di Stalin, indaga su una questione vitale per la guerra prossima ventura. Una volta preso atto della vaga implausibilita' del personaggio principale (prima longa manus dello zar e poi di Stalin), il romanzo (secondo della serie di Pekkala) ha un suo buon ritmo e una elevata godibilita'. I personaggi accattivanti e i dettagli dell'ambientazione curati compongono un ottimo romanzo di intrattenimento (non spensierato).
-
I feel like the character Pekkala changed from the first novel to this one, I'm not quite sure I like him as much anymore. As is so often the case with sequels, the author seemed unable to keep up the quality in the second story. I may pick up the third one if I happen to come across it when I have little else to be reading, but I won't seek it out as I did this one.
-
Originál povznesl příběh na vyšší level a konečně jsem pochopila, proč mi tam tolik věcí přišlo nelogických - ztratilo se v překladu (abych tedy šetřila se slovy).
Sam Eastland má taky problémy s udržením logiky (jestli spí Pekkala na zemi nebo na posteli, v kterém patře mají kancelář, při útěku po revoluci se Pekkala chystal „navštívit rodiče“, i když jeho otec zemřel pouhé 2 roky potom, co Pekkala odjel do Ruska atd.)
Ale vyvážil to skvělým příběhem, u kterého jsem se rozplývala, že jsem se div nerozplynula.
Sam Eastland je jediný autor, kterému jsem ochotná to tolerovat.
Ale rozhodně nejsem ochotná tolerovat zmršený překlad. I automatický překladač by byl lepší než tohle. A to jsem nešla větu po větě :-(
a) věc, která mi vadila úplně nejvíc - špatný překlad naprosto mění SMYSL příběhu + překladatel beze studu překládá „cousin“ jako synovec, „north-east“ jako severozápadně, „evening“ jako ráno, „unloaded“ jako nakládat, „bare feet“ jako ruce atd.
b) jsou tam pasáže, které v mé originální knížce nejsou - čemuž nerozumím
c) chybí věty, které v originále jsou - tomu taky nerozumím
d) zatímco většina překladatelů vynechává „asked X, said X“ atd., v tomto případě překladatel dodává „zeptal se X, řekl X“ navíc + mění pořadí vět, ale to je ve světle zbytku překladu zanedbatelné
ad a)
Tady jsem se nestačila ani divit, kam lze překladem posunout logiku příběhu.
s. 306
“Udělám pro toho chlapce, co bude v mých silách, ale SPÁCHAL vraždu a vlastizradu, nemluvě o tom, že se mi pokusil ustřelit hlavu--”
s. 313 “I'll do what I can for the boy, but YOU are guilty of murder and treason, not to mention trying to blow my head off--“
s. 309 “Jeho přiznání JSTE ZÍSKAL stejným způsobem jako jindy?”
“Ne,” řekl Pekkala. “Násilí nebylo zapotřebí.”
s. 316 “This confession, WAS IT obtained in the same manner as the other?”
“No,” said Pekkala. “It did not require force.”
[imho se otázka týká přiznání, které získala major Lysenková, která ho z obviněného vymlátila, a ne vyšetřovacích metod Pekkaly.]
s. 11 Druhý muž ochotně počítal peníze a RTY se mu přitom hýbaly spolu s prsty
s. 7 Obligingly, the man counted money, walking the TIPS of his fingers through the bills.
s. 23 ..od svého SYNOVCE, britského krále Jiřího V.
s. 18 from his COUSIN King George V.
s. 24 Nagorski zakašlal a zasmál se
s. 20 Nagorski caughed out a laugh
s. 31 “A kolik let PRO MĚ už vlastně pracujete?
s. 27 “And how many years have WE been working TOGETHER now?
s. 34 …o nemoc carova nejmladšího SYNA Alexeje
s. 30 …about the illness of the Tsar's youngerst CHILD, Alexei.
Není rozumné použít výraz “nejmladší syn”, když měli jen jednoho.
s. 34 PRO HESENSKÝ PŮVOD jí říkali Němka…
s. 30 They called her Nemka, the German Woman…
s. 52 “Kumquat,” řekl Kirov HRDĚ.
s. 49 “Kumquats,” Kirov CORRECTED him.
s. 79 Přitom zapadl až po kolena do jámy plné bahnité vody, ZTRATIL BOTU a také zakopl(...) a zmizel pod hladinou jakéhosi jezírka.
s. 76 Along the way, he sank up to his knees in craters of water, LOST HIS FOOTING and stumbled WITH ARMS OUTSTRETCHED beneath the surface.
s. 85 Když se znovu PODÍVALI...
s. 82 As HE stared...
s. 93 Bylo letní RÁNO
s. 91 It was summer EVENING
s. 93 NAKLÁDALI zeleninu a ovoce na korby
s. 91 UNLOADED vegetables and fruit
s. 100 zeptala se a její hlas zněl náhle nakřáple.
s. 99 she asked. She spat out the words as if her mouth was filled with shards of glass.
s. 101 kůži na RUKOU měl flekatou od hmyzích štípanců
s. 101 and his BARE FEET were speckled with bug bites.
s. 108 Znovu přehodil pláštěnku přes Nagorského tělo. A PAK Z JEHO KAPSY VYNDAL KAPESNÍK a otřel si krev z rukou.
s. 108 He pulled the rain cape back over Nagorsky body, THEN wiped the gore from his hands ON A CORNER OF THE CAPE.
s. 109 “I NEED to know”
s. 109 “MOHU vědět”
s. 110 “Ten člověk mi nahání hrůzu.”
s. 109 “That man makes me NERVOUS.”
s. 111 Pekkalu vzbudilo něčí ZAKLEPÁNÍ na dveře.
s. 111 Pekkala woke to the sound of someone BANGING on the door.
s. 113 co vás VYHODIL?
s. 113 THEY threw you out?
s. 114 ��To není zrovna blízko.” “Jel jsem TAM autem.”
s. 113 “That's nowhere near THIS place.” “I drove HERE in my car.”
Není mi jasné, proč se Dr Lazovert (s. 117,178 ) změnil v překladu (s. 118,175 ) na doktora Puriškeviče. Ctila bych autora, i když se může mýlit.
s. 116,229 jeden (po)divnější než druhý. Jenom car nás zná všechny.
s. 233 --each one a stranger to the other. Only the Tsar knows us all.
s. 123 tři nebo čtyři dny
s. 123 five or six days
s. 133 [Stalin] Natáhl ruku a podržel papír, aby si jej PEKKALA mohl přečíst.
s. 134 [Stalin] He held the paper our at arm's length so he could read it.
s. 134 Pekkala zmateně VYKULIL OČI.
s. 135 Pekkala's eyes NARROWED with confusion.
s. 137 NA SIBIŘI přežíval Pekkala tak dlouho s tak málem, že si po návratu do normálního světa nemohl odvyknout.
s. 138 Pekkala had survived on so little for so long that he couldn not get used to doing othervise.
s. 137,138 Otočil se a pode dveřmi viděl na chodbě něčí NOHY.
s. 139 He turned and saw the SHADOW of a pair of feet out in the hallway.
S. 143 “Jsem ráda, že mám konečně k dispozici vaše... smaragdové oko,” řekla carevna, VSTALA a ukázala rukou ke dveřím.
s. 144 “I'm glad we are finally able to see-“ the Tsarina held out her hand towards the door- “eye to emerald eye.”
s. 143 “Copak jsi mi přinesla dneska?”
s. 145 “And WHAT has brought you here this evening?”
s. 147 --ve které se v letních měsících skladuje POVLEČENÍ.
s. 150 --which might have stored BLANKETS in the summer months.
s. 150 --a Pekkala pokaždé POHLÉDL na sklenku s patřičným obdivem.
s. 152 --and every time Pekkala TOOK the glass from her with the reverence it deserved.
s. 151 “Niky O NĚM často mluví.”
s. 155 “Nicky has often spoken about YOU.”
s. 155 Přitiskl rostlinu k hrudi, jako by se JI snažil schovat.
s. 159 He hugged the plant to his chest as if trying to take cover BEHIND IT.
s. 167 --jejichž příčetnost shořela jako sirka.
s. 168 Whose sanity had folded u like paper aeroplanes.
s. 168 Kropotkin vedl jekatěrinburskou policii ještě před revolucí a tuto práci se mu kupodivu dařilo udržet I poté, co se moci chopili komunisti; právě v té době se seznámili. [matoucí, seznámili se až v roce 1929]
s. 170 Krokoptkin had been in charge of the Ekaterinburg police department before the Revolution and when Pekkala first met him, after the Communist had come to power, he was still managing to hold on to his job.
s. 170 --ponuře zařízené místnosti v Alexandrovském palace, kde Romanovci žili, NEBO NA Carské selo.
s. 172 --drearily furnished rooms in the Alexander Palace, where the Romanovs lived AT Tsarskoye Selo.
s. 177 “Bůh nás chraň.” Pekkala přemýšlel, CO K NÍ CÍTIL ten muž v rakvi.
s. 179 “God protect us.” Pekkala wondered WHAT THAT MEANT FOR man in the box.
s. 201 Pekkala pozvedl OBOČÍ
s. 205 Pekkala raised his HEAD
s. 206 Při třetí z jejich schůzek--
s. 210 On the third YEAR OF their meetings--
s. 208 - když jsem BYLA malá, kopl ho kůň.
s. 212 He had been kicked by horse when HE was young.
s. 208 Když jsme se dostali k Mamlinu--
s. 212 When we got to Borodok--
s. 208 VĚDĚL, že se nevrátí--
s. 213 I knew HE wasn't coming back
s. 209 --abych tam žila jako sirotek.
s. 213 --to live IN a orphanage.
s.- 209 Pekkala VSTAL Z postele. Zmateně tam seděl.
s. 214 Pekkala sat up IN bed. (...) He sat there.
s. 213 --neutrácíte ani za šaty, ani za OBLEČENÍ--
s. 214 --you dont' spend it on clothes or FOOD--
s. 213 Kirov svraštil obočí
s. 218 Kirov's eyes narrowed.
s. 219 --a ON už--
s. 223 --and YOU are already--
s. 231 severozápadně
s. 235 north-EAST
s. 231 muž s podezřívavým pohledem
s. 235 angry-looking man
s. 242 “Zalka?” “Zdá se, jako byste ho znal.”
s. 246 “Zalka!” “That sounds as if you know him.”
s. 244 “Nechte nás být,” odsekl Konstantin.
s. 248 “I wish you would leave us alone, Inspector,” replied Konstantin.
s. 245 rozbušilo srdce
s. 249 heart CLENCH
s. 251 NÁS předem informovala
s. 254 informing ME first
s. 251 Stál čelem ke zdi a nevěřícně zíral na Lysenkovou.
s. 255 He stood against the wall, staring in disbelief at Lysenkova.
s. 252 Co Gorenko udělal
s. 256 What did Gorenko SAY
s. 253 “Jděte.”
s. 256 “You have to go now.”
s. 253 VÁŠ problém
s. 257 OUR problem
s. 253 “VÍTE, co se tam děje.”
s. 257 “I know what happens there.”
s. 255 “Chápu správně, o co mě žádáte?”
s. 258 “YOU understand what we are talking about?”
s. 256 O PÁR minut později
s. 260 FIVE minutes later
s. 257 Když se za Pekkalou zavřely brány Lubjanky.
s. 261 FIFTEEN MINUTES later, as the gates of the Lubyanka closed behind him.
s. 257 Emka byla pryč. Kirov poslechl jeho příkaz. Pekkala se proto vydal pěšky do kanceláře. NIC NEBYLO STEJNÉ JAKO PŘEDTÍM.
s. 261 The Emka was gone. Kirov had followed his orders. Now Pekkala set off on foot towards the office. BUT THAT WASN'T WHERE HE ENDED UP.
s. 258 “Jestli ji necháte odjet-“
s. 261 “If you let her GET AWAY--“
[troufám si tvrdit, že se Ilja nechystala nikam jet, ale šlo o to, aby se Pekkala konečně vyjádřil.]
s. 258 Krokoptkin kouřil cigaretu (...) a RUCE složené za zády.
s. 262 Kropotkin has smoking a cigarette (...) ONE HAND tucked behind the back.
s. 260 měl pocit, jako by se ocitl VE snu
s. 264 felt as if he were WAKING FROM a dream
s. 261 Pekkala JÍ VYŠEL VSTŘÍC OTEVŘENOU BRÁNOU
s. 265 Pekkala REACHED OUT TO OPEN the gate
s. 264 --flíčky od ZASCHLÉ krve
s. 270 --flecked with blood
s. 267 --zeptal se Kirov.
“Nevím. Kolik lidí jsem už dostal za mříže, Kirove?”
“Desítky.” ZARAZIL SE. “Ještě víc.”
s. 272 --asked Kirov, BEWILDERED.
“WHETHER HE WAS OR NOT, HE CAME PRETTY CLOSE TO FINISHING ME OFF. How many people have I put behind bars, Kirov?”
“Dozens.” HE SHRUGGED. “More.”
s. 268 “A všechno uznání shrábne major Lysenková.”
s. 273 “And Major Lysenkova WON'T be taking all the credit.”
s. 269 Pak jednu PODAL Kirovovi
s. 274 Then he SLID one over to Kirov.
s. 269 “--tohle [slivovice] je jediný tvrdý alkohol, který pil car.”
“Zdá se nevlastenecké,” odpověděl Kirov hlasem chraplavým od slivovice, “být Rus a nepít občas trochu SLIVOVICE.”
s. 274 “--this was the only liquor the Tsar would touch.”
“It seems unpatriotic,” replied Kirov, his voice gone hoarse from the drink, “to be Russian and no to like a drop of VODKA now and then.”
s. 271 --zítra mám výročí SVATBY.
s. 277 “Tomorrow is the anniversary of my CORONATION.
s. 271 V den carovy SVATBY seděli car a carevna--
s. 277 On the day of the Tsar's CORONATION IN MAY OF 1896, the Tsar and Tsarina--
s. 272 svatební průvod, svatební obřad
s. 277 coronation cortege, coronation ceremony
s. 272 Nebyla.
s. 272 Wasn't it?
s. 276 O chvíli později
s. 283 FIFTEEN MINUTES later
s. 280 --když se mu ZAČALO ZDÁT, že celé přední sklo exploduje
s. 286 When the entire windshield exploded.
s. 285 Vylezl jsem a utekl jsem do LESA.
s. 291 Then I got out and ran to the SUPPLY BUILDING
s. 286 Najděte HO
s. 292 Find THEM
s. 293 O NECELÝ ROK později--
s. 300 LESS THAN FIVE YEARS later--
s. 309 --s pípnutím
s. 316 --with a click
s. 310 “Ale ten tank je v rukou toho jednoho člověka stejně nebezpečný JAKO CELÁ POSÁDKA... Kolik to má mužů?”
s. 317 “But the tank is just as dangerous in the hands of one person as is it WITH an entire crew of... how many is it?”
s. 313 “Stejně střílejte,” odpověděl Pekkala.
s. 319 “You hit it, anyway,” replied Pekkala.
s. 314 “Tenhle tank jsem nenavrhoval.”
s. 321 “WE did not design this machine.”
s. 316 --jakoby ho do hrudi kopl kůň.
s. 323 --if he had been kicked in the chest.
s. 321 Potom POLOŽIL ruku NA prázdné sedadlo řidiče--
s. 328 When he HELD OUT his hand TOWARDS the empty driver's seat--
s. 321 --měly chuť SKOŘICE
s. 328 - nutmeg powder
s. 322 Její chování, PŘESTOŽE ani nezvedla zrak, Pekkalovi napovědělo, že je musela očekávat.
s. 329 The fact that SHE DID NOT LOOK UP made Pekkala realize that she must have been expecting them.
S. 322 OPŘENÝ o plot zahrady
s. 330 STANDING on the OTHER SIDE of her garden fence
s. 323 “Jestli se stane co?”
s. 331 “If anything happens?”
s. 328 Spal. Ležel na předních sedadlech s RUKAMA zkroucenýma a s hlavou položenou na sedadle spolujezdce.
s. 335 He had been asleep, LEGS twisted down into the seat well and head resting on the passenger seat.
s. 329 --protože si uvědomil, že se v Maximovovi NAPROSTO MÝLIL.
s. 336 --stubbornly refusing to believe that Maximov had DESERTED THEM.
s. 331 --a začínal mít poškrábané holeně od hustého podrostu.
s. 338 --CURSING SOFTLY as he scraped his skins against the limbs of fallen trees.
s. 329, 330 KIROV pomalu zvedl hlavu z příkopu a vytáhl pistoli.
PEKKALA udělal totéž.
s. 336 Slowly, PEKKALA reached up to the edge of the ditch and eased his gun out of its holster.
KIROV did the same.
s. 341 “Dobře, že S SEBOU MÁM to nové oblečení, které jsem vám koupil.”
s. 349 “Good thing YOU have those new clothes I bought you.”
s. 342 “Kam jedete z Ruska?”
s. 350 “Where are you going, Russian?”
A k tomu korektura, která pustí ven věty typu
s. 188 se objevilo několik dveří dveře
s. 205 Stáhl ze zpět do stínů -
I really enjoyed this book.
The plot is fast, I like the 2 main characters :Pekkala and his assistant Kirov while their friendship is well portrayed.
Although the story is a thriller the author describes things with a real flare and originality.
I'd recommend it -
1939 with Stalin trying to delay war and not give Hitler any provocation, Pekkala is sent to Protect the new tank being developed, and whose originator is killed on the day he arrives. A twisting plot with some flashbacks to Pekkala’s earlier life working for the Tsar.
-
For a long time, I wasn't really sure which way to go on this one.
Was it long and dull and miserable, with not an awful lot of any consequence happening after the initial, interesting set-up?
Or was it a slow-burning, languid, subtle study of a police investigation in late '30's Russia? A Russia still remembering and indeed revering the rule of the Tsars, whilst feeling its way forward into the true terror of the workers paradise Stalin had in store. A story where all that goes before the final third, builds quite nicely, everything falling into place, making sense and almost excusing the rather misleading cover blurb.
In the end, I think the latter has won out. But with a hefty dose of the former.
So, as the cover blurb has it;
"A secret weapon. A suspicious death. A world on the edge of war."
Yes, that's all true. But if you're looking for a fast-moving, thrilling, tense war-time novel, look elsewhere. After the set-up and before the final conclusion in the forests on the Russia/Poland border, the story sags tremendously, gets lost in morbid reminiscences and descriptions of Russian life at the ourtbreak of WWII and generally moves at a snail's pace.
The saving grace is, that if you give up expecting it to be what it isn't, a fast-paced WWII espionage thriller, it actually works quite well. The languid descriptions of Inspector Pekkala's life under Stalin and his previous life working closely with the last Tsar, Tsarina and Rasputin, are actually very interesting. Though it must be something of a cliche, that Russians are always morose. But life at that time was bleak and Sam Eastland captures the feeling of hoplessnes and nothing to look forward to except possible impending doom, quite effectively. The snail's pace actually turns out to be a considered and reflective examination of the old and 'new' Russia and generally makes you very glad you weren't around at the time. Or if you were around at that time, that you weren't unfortunate enough to be around in Russia. And especially not around Stalin.
I've got to admit that in reading 'The Red Coffin', I didn't recognise the novel all the quoted reviewers seem to have read. Maybe they're describing what seems to be the other, the first Inspector Pekkala story? But I did finally think I enjoyed this one, and will look out for the first, 'Eye Of The Red Tsar', going cheap in my local bookstore, as this one was. -
When I find a book that I can't put down or look forward to finishing it is worth 5 stars to me. This book kept me interested and involved in the story. The detective story was well written and I didn't ever feel the need to skip a few pages to get to the end as I have done in other stories. I also learned a bit about life in Russia during Stalin.
I really did enjoy this book. I think that the author did a well job with the story and having its readers take an interest in the characters. I can't wait to read more of his book. -
The Red Coffin is Sam Eastland's second in the Inspector Pekkala series. It was very strong on character (Stalin himself makes an appearance or two) but less so on plot. Irritatingly there were numerous flash backs which slowed the pace of the novel a little.
Nevertheless Pekkala is a fascinating character and I shall resume reading the series in due course.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Two Families at War, Liberating Belsen and The Summer of '39 -
I love the Inspector Pekkala book series, and Shadow Pass is no exception. Inspector Pekkala is so charming and engaging, he's one of my favorite characters of all time - any reader will fall in love with him and his interactions with his assistant and other characters in the books. I thought this was a great mystery from beginning to end, can't wait to read Archive 17.
-
Sam Eastland is the new Martin Cruz Smith. A Soviet Union-based detective picks at the bones of tough crimes while himself teetering on the edge of the political abyss.
The Red Coffin follows on nicely from Eastland's debut, Eye of the Red Tsar, and although not as intricately created as Smith's Renko novels at times, the author's passion for the history of his setting is impressive. -
It loses a star because I had figured it out around the 50-60% mark, and had my suspicions much sooner. Other than that, the character and writing is great and we even got a laugh at the expense of Stalin. Recommended reading, for sure.
-
An excellent book, very well read.
Mainly set in 1939 when Pekkala is working for Stalin, it flashes back to his time as special investigator for the Tsar, and his time in a Gulag -
Not as good as the first one, this time the going back and forth in time with Pekkala's memories got annoying.
-
The premise behind the Inspector Pekkala series is an interesting one: a detective protagonist so good at solving mysteries that his monstrous employers (first Tsar Nicholas II, then Josef Stalin) tolerate the fact that he actually has a conscience.
Of course, operating within the constraints of totalitarian systems like imperial autocracy and Stalinist dictatorship, one doesn't get many chances to do more with one's conscience than pay occasional mental or verbal homage to it-- which is the Pekkala series' concession to realism.
Anyway, this second book in the series, like the first, has a gripping central plot-- Who has murdered the designer of Russia's secret superweapon, and is the murder somehow related to Russia and Germany's pre-WWII game of geopolitical chicken?-- oodles of Soviet-period detail, and characters of varying degrees of likability and believability. The denouement is more anticlimactic than that of the first book, but on the other hand, the plot of this one (though not without weak moments) is much more tightly constructed than the first, and represents a promising improvement that left me anticipating the next book in the series. -
This was an audiobook and it is my second Pekkala book. Like the first one, it is borderline 3.5 to 4 stars. Again I rounded up because the plot was interesting to me and I learned some historical information (verified outside the book and google). In the big picture, I found several things unbelievable: Pekkala working for Stalin, Pekkala's trust of the people he arrests or detains, and Stalin's forgiveness of anyone for anything regardless of age or parentage.
Narrator performed well and captured the characters. I wish the narrator had performed Pekkala's voice a little differently but it still worked. The only real gripe is that the narrator didn't read the chapter numbers throughout the book. That may be the editor's fault but I think when listening to a book it is important to know the writer has moved to a new chapter, I also think that it helps if the narrator takes a longer pause when the writer changes time periods during a chapter so you know as a listener that there is a change in location/time/people.
In summary, I will probably read the next book but might wait awhile to do so. It was okay but I see no need to rush to the next book.
