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  • Eye of the Red Tsar

  • By: Sam Eastland
  • Narrated by: Steven Pacey
  • Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (182 ratings)
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Eye of the Red Tsar cover art

Eye of the Red Tsar

By: Sam Eastland
Narrated by: Steven Pacey
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Summary

The first in a gripping new series of detective novels set at the birth of Stalin’s Russia.

It is the time of the Great Terror. Inspector Pekkala – known as the Emerald Eye – was the most famous detective in all Russia. He was the favourite of the Tsar. Now he is the prisoner of the men he once hunted. Like millions of others, he has been sent to the gulags in Siberia and, as far as the rest of the world is concerned, he is as good as dead. But a reprieve comes when he is summoned by Stalin himself to investigate a crime.

Pekkala’s mission: to uncover the men who really killed the Tsar and his family, and to locate the Tsar’s treasure. The reward for success will be his freedom and the chance to re-unite with a woman he would have married if the Revolution had not torn them apart. The price of failure? Death.

©2010 Sam Eastland (P)2010 Audible, Ltd

What listeners say about Eye of the Red Tsar

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    87
  • 4 Stars
    70
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    16
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    6
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Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    64
  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The Eye of The Red Tsar

This book is first class and from the very start you are propelled into the period of the time. I listen to my books when I walk to the shops or on my local forest and I just could not wait for a walk to come fast enough. If there is one small fault and that is although the book holds you from beginning to the end, the end is a bit weak.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This story gripped me from the beginning.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Characters finely drawn with broad brush strokes confidently defining a difficult time in Russian history. Brilliantly told, and held me captivated by the strength of the story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Eye of the Red Tsar?

The description of the railway station where he was held, having been discovered as the eye of the tzar. The cold and cruelty described took my breath away. I froze in what I was doing to listen.

What does Steven Pacey bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

His voice, his accent, his persuasion to lead you on in the story. Riveting.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me cry, and wonder.

Any additional comments?

A beautiful book.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Story but Drags a lot

I know a lot of people like this book and it certainly has an excellent story. However, the writer's style kills the books for me. The writer is dedicated to flashbacks -- we have long episodes of flashback. Some serve a purpose to give a background of Pekala's life but to me there are just so many of them that they break the flow of the plot.

Looking for the murderer of the last Tsar certainly makes for a gripping story. And when that story is being told the book is interesting. However, the constant interruptions of the story with these flashbacks just killed the book for me. I will not be reading any more of this author as I understand that all his books contain flashbacks. It is simply an unappealing style for me, but for readers who don't object, this is good book. My rating of the book is due to the flashback which I find to interrupting and made the real story seem disjointed.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Worth a listen - war time thriller.

I wasn't sure at first with this title. I don't normally read anything like this, but the story is well constructed with interesting characters. Steven Pacey is just fantastic as the narrator as usual. There is a lot of historical stuff in this book as you'd guess, but the author mixes the truth with fiction to make a really good story. Book two downloaded now!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Wanted to enjoy it............................

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Err had it been written by say Nesbo or Mankell, or so many others. Sadly it wasn't.

Has Eye of the Red Tsar put you off other books in this genre?

If the genre is blindingly obvious poor plotted books yes it has.

What didn’t you like about Steven Pacey’s performance?

He was reading this book.

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Nope

Any additional comments?

I do enjoy good crime stories from different parts of the world: Mankell in Sweden, other Nordic noire obviously; Craig Russell in Germany; Deon Meyer in South Africa.

There sadly aren't enough so the opportunity to listen to an historical investigation from Russia was appealing. It even seemed OK for a bit and I thought I'd been lucky and found a new author and a new series to enjoy.

Sadly it soon disappoints, all too soon. The plotting is poor, ok it avoids any stress by making the conclusion blindingly obvious early on, but that's a niche idea only for those with severe hypertension. Really not convinced the author has any insight into the history of Russia beyond what Wiki would inform about.

I would say don't bother, but of course you might enjoy it, no accounting for taste. If you haven't tried Deon Meyer yet use your credits there first. And remember it was me who told you !

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Totally gripping

Steven Pacey is one of the best readers and this rendition is one of his best. Thrilling historical detective story, with excellent notes at the end. About to buy the next book in the series.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

CRACKING READ

WELL NARRATED GOOD PLOT LINE A GOOD PLAUSIBLE HISTORICAL RENDITION WHICH KEEPS YOU ENTERTAINED FOR HOURS

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Normally wouldn’t of.. but so glad I did, I’m hooked!

Normally I wouldn’t of read something like this I’m more into fantasy, the reason and only reason is because I love Steven Pacey’s story telling, I have a very mundane job.. and for 8 hours a day his voice takes me away to somewhere different, and this is how I stumbled on Sam Eastland, I enjoy history and how he brought the two together was brilliant.
I have now finished the second in the series and on to the 3rd. BRILLIANT 🤩

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good story

I am a huge fan of the Martin Cruz Smith series of Arkady Renko books, and having read them all, I was recomended the Inspector Pekkala series.

Straight away I was hooked when I read the basic plot and reviews to see that it was my kind of stories and gave it a try.

This story is a fantastic introduction, as it follows two stories. One set in the 1930's following Inspector Pekkala as he is dragged out of the Gulags and forced to do a deal with the devil and work for the man who put him in the Gulags in the first place.

The second story is in terms of flashbacks to cover his rise to power from working in his dads undertakers buisness in Finland (then part of the Russian empire) to becoming the personal bodyguard/detective of the Russian Tsar right up to the Russian revolution.

The performance is pretty good and smooth, though when the reader tries a Borat-ish style Russian accent.

All in all very good, and going to move on to the second book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Eye of the red Tsar

An evocative, informative, and well-researched historical novel based on the final years of the Russian Imperial family. Although fictitious much of the storyline is based on real events. There are fine descriptions of the main characters from the Tsar to Stalin and their respective supporters and detractors which are excellently Iortrayed. In addition the author gives vivid descriptions of historic events. The novel concludes with a brief but excellent timeline ending with the final recognition, using DNA, of the remains of Tsar and his family.

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