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The author of the phenomenally successful SARUM and LONDON turns to an even larger subject: Russia. Spanning eighteen hundred years of its history, people, politics, and culture, Edward Rutherfurd's grand saga encompasses all the fascinating contradictions of Russia itself. Exotic, proud, parochial, these contrasting qualities define the immense territory that lies half in Europe, half in Asia -- a crossroad of culture. Told as the story of four families, Russka transforms the history of a singular nation into a great and compelling human drama.
"Rutherfurd personifies history." (New York Daily News)
The author of the phenomenally successful Sarum: The Novel of England now turns his remarkably vast talents to an even larger canvas. Spanning 1800 years of Russia's history, people, politics, and culture, this grand saga is as multifaceted as the country itself, as it chronicles the lives of four families who are divided by ethnicity but united in shaping the destiny of their land. "Rutherfurd has indeed embraced all of Russia."--Washington Post Book World. (Historical Fiction)
“RUSSKA SUCCEEDS WHERE [OTHER BOOKS] OF TRENDY SOVIET-WATCHING HAVE FAILED. . . . Rutherfurd can take his place among an elite cadre of chroniclers such as Harold Lamb, Maurice Hindus and Henri Troyat.”
–San Francisco Chronicle
“FAST-MOVING . . . Rutherfurd believes in adding color and adventure to facts that are exhaustively researched, making history palatable if not delicious.”
–Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“SPRAWLING . . . Rutherfurd’s close observation of Russia’s religious and ethnic diversity gives this epic a distinctive flavor.”
–Publishers Weekly
“RUTHERFURD LITERALLY PERSONIFIES HISTORY.”
–New York Daily News
This novel took me by surprise. I was just bored and had a vague idea about Russia. After being completely engrossed in this enthralling epic I not only became interested in all things Russian, I started learning Russian at the nearby community college! Russka is now one of my favorite "go-to" books. Rutherfurd is the man responsible for my passionate affair with historical fiction.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 16, 2007
Russka was the first book that I read by Edward Rutherford and I have read most of his books by now. I had read several non-fiction books about Russia and enjoyed them. Russka was a great treat, blending a fictional family with history. I read it quickly and truly enjoyed it!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 17, 2001
Interesting story of a 'fictional' Russian family (although could be very much real) covering the entire span of Russian history from 'cave-people' up to the Soviet days. You meet everybody from Peter the Great to Ivan the Terrible, thru the eyes of this family. Tells you the true history of Russia while keeping you interested by the 'Fairy-tale' nature of the story. I highly reccomend it.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Having read several other Rutherfurd historical fiction offerings it was only natural to feel the need to tackle Russka. I say tackle because it was 945 pages of sprawling history involving Russia. Although the author states in the very begining of the book that it is close to historical yet still fiction this book does give an amazingly informative assessment of the history of Russia from AD to present. I enjoyed this book and it was entertaining, however at times the characters did seem a bit repetative and there was just way too much political detail and too less character/story development. I'd rather had a bit more story vs the political views of the author or of the time period. I also would have enjoyed less time spent in the 1700's/1800's and more time on the happenings in the 1900's. There seemed to just be a little "tack on" so to speak, in regards to anything current and I felt a little let down by this. It does tend to drag on sometimes with the over detail of the political situations but all in all a good read. I am however glad to finally finish and would recommend to anyone who can #1 take a book of such thickness and #2 to a person who has the "Stick-to-it" attitude needed to press on when it gets down right tedious.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 25, 2010
I Also Recommend:
This book is a love story, a history lesson and a great novel wrapped into one. It is an amazing novel.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 27, 2012
As someone who loves good fiction novels, and history, it doesn't get much better than this.
Centuries upon centuries pass with surprising speed, as the intertwining tales of families & towns are told.
Highly recommended!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 29, 2013
Boring. If you want to read a history of Russia, then turn to one of the many great histories, deeply researched. If you want to read a novel about Russia, then read one of the excellent novels written by those who lived there and experienced what they wrote...Tolstoy, Dostoevsky. Turgenev. Pasternak...
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Shabonnie
Posted April 10, 2012
I have not read the book yet but look forward to doing so. I bought it on the strong recommendation of a friend of Russian descent.
Upon flipping through her copy it looked like it was well written and interesting.
0 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Sue_in_Wisconsin
Posted January 8, 2012
What a great look at the history of this part of Russia! I enjoyed this book greatly. It is what I would have expected from a Rutherfurd book.
Sue_in_Wisconsin
I have read all of Edward Rutherfurd's novels, and all are well-researched and enjoyable to read. This is my least favorite of all of them, possibly because I am far more interested in Great Britain and Ireland than in Russia. The names are unfamiliar to me, so I had a little more trouble picturing the characters in my mind. Otherwise, it is a very good novel.
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Posted November 13, 2012
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Overview
The author of the phenomenally successful SARUM and LONDON turns to an even larger subject: Russia. Spanning eighteen hundred years of its history, people, politics, and culture, Edward Rutherfurd's grand saga encompasses all the fascinating contradictions of Russia itself. Exotic, proud, parochial, these contrasting qualities define the immense territory that lies half in Europe, half in Asia -- a crossroad of culture. Told as the story of four families, ...