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Trans-Siberian Express (2013)

Trans-Siberian Express (2013)

Book Info

Author
Rating
3.24 of 5 Votes: 5
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ISBN
1629212970 (ISBN13: 9781629212975)
Language
English
Publisher
stonehouse press

About book Trans-Siberian Express (2013)

Slow Cooker, not a Pot BoilerThis book was first published in 1977, during Carter's administration. Russian politics were very different then from today, and this book will make little sense unless that is kept in mind. The missles that Russia was most immediately concerned with at that time were not in the West, but along their Southern border with China. The missles were short-range, but promised to get better.The main plot involves the American doctor. He's a cancer specialist, and a Soviet Politburo Chief has advanced leukimia. The U.S. sends Doctor Cousins to Russia in hopes that he can keep Dimitrov alive long enough to get the man's help with an important treaty being negotiated. As the story opens, the doctor has had some success, and Dimitrov insists on rearranging Cousins' trip home to include a 4000 mile train ride across Siberia. The doctor's Russian grandfather came from the region, and helped to build the railway. Surely the doctor would like to see his ancestral homeland.The doc, however, has quite unintentionally learned that Dimitrov plans to launch a nuclear strike against China before he dies, and Cousins is anxious to return to the States and report this. Dimitrov suspects Cousins of knowing too much, and has put KGB agents on the train to make sure the doctor never gets to the end of the line--or so Doctor Cousins suspects.I started out comparing this in my mind to James Bond's train ride in From Russia with Love, since the book concerns a long train ride with spying, intrigue and danger. I soon found that the intrigue promised in the opening chapter will be kept simmering on a back burner as the author explores the unhappy lives and the dark, passionate moods of its mostly Russian cast who are mostly strangers to eachother, and keep mostly to themselves.Unfortunately, we readers get to be in on all their brooding thoughts. One chapter looks in on the American Doctor and his newly acquired mistress; the next on the train attendant; the next on a general; then a couple being persecuted and shipped off to Siberia because the husband is Jewish; then we turn to ... well, you get the idea. It skips about between characters.It sounded exciting at the beginning, but soon the pace slowed down and the main plotline (bombing China) was put on a back burner in favor of concerns found in books like Anna Karenina, Crime and Punishment, and Doctor Zhivago (Hey, I saw movie versions of all those, so I'm an expert!). Somewhere past the midpoint in the novel, said plotline is picked up again and things get more interesting. Fair warning: most of the characters survive to the end, but none are happy about how it all turned out. Resigned, one and all, but not happy.The writing is skillful, and the writer seems to know Russia well, both its people and places. I don't necessarily need adventure and action in a book. His character studies could be interesting if I liked the characters. I didn't like anyone in this book. Maybe the doctor, his girlfriend and the attendant Tanya a little bit, but not much. Perhaps these characters and the general mood of the book are just what a wintery Russian setting calls for, and I have foolishly taken what is, for me, a wrong path in literature's woods. Time, then, to turn back and find another.

See review at: http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=10385Trans-Siberian Express by War­ren Adler is an early novel of this famous author. Mr. Adler recently released his 33rd book and has writ­ten mul­ti­ple scripts as well.Vic­tor Dim­itrov, Russ­ian head of state, is suf­fer­ing from leukemia. Not trust­ing the doc­tors in Rus­sia to keep his secret from his polit­i­cal ene­mies, he requests an Amer­i­can doc­tor to treat him. Dr. Alex Cousins is hand picked for the job by the Pres­i­dent, how­ever Dr. Cousins dis­cover that Dim­itrov is plan­ning to go out with a bang and strike China with nuclear weapons before he dies.Fear­ing that Dr. Cousins will thwart his plan (by reveal­ing it to Amer­ica), Dim­itrov sends him on a long trip to East­ern Rus­sia. The good doc­tor is being watched, but by who and why is the question.Trans-Siberian Express by War­ren Adler is an intrigu­ing novel tak­ing place on a fancy Russ­ian train. I loved the way Adler described the scenery and train travel on the Russ­ian Rail­way system.Adler built a whole world, with intrigu­ing char­ac­ters, all of who have an inter­est­ing his­tory behind them, on a Russ­ian train. The author did a great job of cap­tur­ing the Russ­ian mind­set, where every­one (almost) are very proud of what they do to con­tribute to the whole. For exam­ple, one of the train work­ers is proud of her job, the clean­li­ness of the cab­ins, the hall­ways and takes it as a per­sonal affront if the train runs late.Adler shows his mas­tery in sto­ry­telling by han­dling flash­backs in a way which doesn’t slow the story down and actu­ally moves it for­ward. Each flash­back reveals more about the char­ac­ter, their psy­che, moti­va­tions and train of thought.The most enter­tain­ing part of the book is the descrip­tions of the Russ­ian ameni­ties, or lack thereof, on the train. From a bit of research I did it seems the author got it right and even if he didn’t, it makes for a great story.The story also has no vil­lains per say, each indi­vid­ual is totally com­mit­ted to what he or she is doing, believ­ing 110% that they are right. If any­thing I’d say that the pro­tag­o­nist, Dr. Cousins, is the “bad” guy even though he also believes that he is right and stick­ing with his moral convictions.This is a well writ­ten book which drew me into Rus­sia and onto the train. The nar­ra­tive moves fast, the story is inter­est­ing the descrip­tions of the land­scape are fascinating.

Do You like book Trans-Siberian Express (2013)?

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. The story takes place before the fall of the Soviet Union. Dr. Alex Cousins is a leukemia specialist who is asked by the US government -- specifically the President -- to help a Russian named Viktor Moiseyevich Dimitrov who is the ailing General Secretary of the Politburo. Dimitrov has leukemia and may not have long to live, but he is the least undesirable among the many leading personalities within the Soviet Union and may be one that the US can work with. Dr. Cousins treats Dimitrov and his cancer goes into remission. As a reward for his help, Dimitrov convinces him to take the Trans-Siberian Express train as Alex travels back to the US. Dimitrov meant is as a gift so Alex can explore the Siberia as described by his grandfather in his many stories. But, Alex knows he has too much information which a lot of powerful people within the Soviet Union would love to get their hands on. He has no illusions that he may not reach US alive. Warren Adler writes what I can only describe is a shadow of a mystery-thriller -- there is hardly any mystery nor is it very thrilling. The story takes forever to take shape and when it does manage to get going, it is hardly exciting at all. The other characters can only be described as created to simply fill space because they are hardly developed enough to make the reader feel for them. The romance between Alex and his cabin mate lacks form as well. To be perfectly honest, it took me a long time to finish the book because I found it so lifeless and dull. Warren Adler fans may enjoy reading the book, although it is nowhere near as a good read as War of the Roses. (You can also read my review of this book at Bames Live)
—Bames

I received Trans-Siberian Express from NetGalley and I think I only clicked on it because it had a train on the cover. I love trains. Turns out I love this book, too!Trans-Siberian Express is totally not my usual type of book. It's adult instead of YA and it's got spies in Russia. Russian politics and place names and people names can get really confusing, you know? But Warren Adler gave us a character list right in the front of the book for reference! And it's not that long of a list. If it was familiar, American names the author probably wouldn't have even needed to do that.So, the plot of the book follows Dr. Alex Cousins as he travels by train from Moscow through Siberia to the coast of the Sea of Japan. He is one of the leading cancer experts in America, and has just come from treating a top politician in Russia. As soon as he boards the train, though, he notices the possibility of KGB agents watching him. On the way to the dining car the first evening, he notices that there's an entire car of KGB agents attached to the end of the passenger train. As the journey progresses, the intrigue only grows stronger, as does Dr. Cousins' attraction to one of his fellow passengers, the sultry Anna Petrovna.Trans-Siberian Express isn't a Jason Bourne novel. It's not all action and go-go-go. It's more of a slow build-up, but the climax is INTENSE when we reach it! I was able to pace myself and enjoy the ride... until about 2/3 of the way through. Then I had to drop everything (including sleep) and keep reading until I reached the end!Warren Adler does great things with a very limited setting. Instead, he more than fully develops multiple characters. I could really feel like I was there on the train with them. I saw them fully fleshed in my mind; could hear them conversing. I could smell the Russian borscht and hear the muffling of the snowfall. This book made me want to travel to Moscow to take a ride on the Trans-Siberian Express! (Do they even still do that?)I read a lot of YA, so the few behind-bedroom-doors scenes startled me just a little. Otherwise, I'm considering buying a copy to give to my dad! That's a good endorsement, there.
—Marie

In his novel TRANS-SIBERIAN EXPRESS, Warren Adler has written an intriguing story and wrapped it in the rattling confines of a supposedly first-class Russian train. If you are a train travel fan, you’ll be intrigued with the details of train travel on Russian Railways, the largest in the world. It is a lengthy trip made enjoyable by interesting and devious characters and the details about an infamous train. Dr. Alex Cousins, a renowned leukemia doctor, is on a covert mission to Russia to attend to its Politburo Chief, Victor Dimitrov, who is suffering from end-stage leukemia. Note: There is a tendency for Russians to use all of their lengthy names as they address each other. In the interest of saving space in this review I will either shorten their names or not name them at all. Check out the author’s very considerate list of characters at the beginning of the book. Then, as soon as possible, revert to last names only. You will soon get the idea and be able to sort them out as you read.Cousins discovers that Dimitrov has a devilish plan for a nuclear strike on China. Dimitrov is on the short list for staying alive because of his disease and, fearing that Cousins will spill the beans about his plans, puts him on the train to the farthest reaches of Eastern Russia to delay his return to the US until the plans can be completed. Cousins is put on board the Russiya, a venerable old passenger train that, strangely enough, is still in operation today. Modern travelers are not kind in their comments about the service and it sounds like the author got the on-board amenities about right. That is fun to read.Cousins, as one might expect, is under close surveillance during his trip, including by a statuesque blonde who is assigned the second bunk in his two-person cabin. As would be expected, a tryst takes place, revealing a lack of restraint on the good doctor’s part. He falls heavily in love with the beautiful KGB agent Anna Valentinova, the thrills of the flesh reducing him to a quivering mass of uncertainty and zero reasoning ability. Side stories of revenge, angst, jealousy, betrayal and homicide are included, all well developed. My favorite character is a bratty boy who keeps the passengers and crew agitated with his behavior. The book is well written and moves the reader along at breakneck speed. There are not many lapses in action. Flashbacks are well handled, explain much of the story, and make it easier to follow the frenetic pace. Long hours of traversing the Siberian wilderness pass quickly under Warren Adler’s guidance, making the trip intriguing. This is a fine reading experience.
—Schuyler Wallace

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