Czar of England is an incredibly exciting and informative thriller that broaches largely unexplored territory in thrillers, that is the rich and wild history of Russia that repeats itself in this wild narrative that I hadn’t expected to see in a thriller. It’s full of historical tidbits that feel very closely related to the story, grounded action interspersed throughout the plot, and two brothers who will do everything in power to seek revenge against the President of Russia for his crimes against his own country and people for power and wealth.
As my first Ian Kharitonov novel, I wanted to go back and read the earlier books in the series because the characters felt so intriguing and the writing style of Mr. Kharitonov is captivating as he incorporates political and historical details about Russia that drive the plot further.
Even though this is the sixth book in the Sokolov series, I had no trouble getting into the book. If anything, I want to read the earlier books just to see how the story evolved to this point. The narrative starts off with certain Russian officials being assassinated. That is when the Sokolov brothers, Eugene and Constantine, are introduced on their unforgiving mission to take down the Russian president’s regime as revenge for atrocities they have personally faced at the hands of the Kremlin. They find themselves caught in a plot against the Kremlin by a cabal hiding in the shadows who have grand plans against the Russian President, one that involves returning Russia to the era of monarchy. I wouldn’t have guessed this at all and I was blown away by the unique twists and turns throughout the story.
Where Constantine brings his literary expertise to the table, Eugene Sokolov brings combat expertise and driving skills to the dynamic duo. The action is a great combination of well-executed hand-to-hand combat and shootouts with weaponry accurate to the gangs and forces utilizing the weapons. Seeing Sokolov deploy bone crunching marital arts techniques against his opponents and shredding the others with the Scorpion submachine gun in crisp and fast-paced sequences made my day. The descriptions of the exotic and sports cars revving at high speeds was a plus point as they became parts of the personalities of the characters driving them.
I loved the bond between the Sokolov brothers; supportive while not above teasing each other. A real testament to the super character development augmented by natural dialogues and character interactions that felt realistic and imaginable without falling flat as corny.
While Russia is no stranger a topic in the thriller genre, Ian Kharitonov excels at presenting the very real issues plaguing the country with oligarchs and corrupt officials feeding off the resources for their own wealth, while giving a deeper insight into the ordinary people of Russia and their ideology shaped by the history that I believe a lot of people do not know a lot about. Topping off with two protagonists of Cossack roots and personal connections to Russia, the story felt powerful and invigorating that gelled geopolitics and personal motivations rather than a simple high-level view of nations.
The narrative is closely connected to the previous books, just enough to get you excited to read them without making you feel lost in this one if you haven’t read them. I settled into the book without ever feeling clumsy with the story. I do want to see the beginning of the badass Eugene Sokolov. That being said, Constantine is also a sharp edge of the spear with his analytical thinking and acumen for historical details that help explain the reasoning for drastic measures in this book and foreshadowing of dire consequences.
Safe to say, I think Ian Kharitonov is an author thriller fans should check out immediately if they haven’t already. His writing is fresh, crisp, and extremely adventurous. The narrative feels to be straight out of the headlines with actual events and assassinations in recent history tying into the story. If you’re looking for a smart and slick action thriller that holds back no punches and makes you more knowledgeable about the Russian history, Czar of England is a superb pick! Be sure to catch up on the whole series in time for his next explosive thriller!
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