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Steve Berry's debut novel THE AMBER ROOM was a hit right out of the gate when it was published last year. Unlike what typically happens when the publicity machines over-hype a second work, Berry's sophomore title, THE ROMANOV PROPHECY has pre-publication buzz, which, if anything, understates how good this book really is.
THE ROMANOV PROPHECY grabs a hold of the reader within the first few pages. It begins with an enigmatic prologue involving Alexandra, Empress of Russia, and Father Gregorii Rasputin, the monk who, for good reason, held sway over the Russian royal family in the early years of the 20th century. The prologue foreshadows the impetus for the novel: the Russian people, weary of a succession of failed governments following the downfall of the Communists, have voted to bring back the tsar. Miles Lord, an Atlanta attorney with the prestigious firm of Pridgen & Woodworth, is with his mentor, Taylor Hayes, helping to oversee the selection process of the new tsar, ensuring that the tsar's selection conforms to a rigorous set of conditions established hundreds of years previously. Lord's life takes a dramatic turn when he is the subject of an assassination attempt. Dogged by his pursuers, Lord --- a black man in a city, and country, where people of color are a rarity --- has no idea who is trying to kill him, or what their motives might be.
Lord slowly comes to the realization that he has discovered documents that indicate that, as had long been rumored, at least one member of the Romanov royal family had survived the brutal execution of the family by Marxist thugs and the true, direct line heir to the Romanov throne exists. Lord, assisted by a mysterious organization known as the Holy Band, slowly and methodically unearths a puzzling but fascinating series of clues that, if a prophecy of Rasputin is to be believed, leads to the Romanov descendent. All the while, however, Lord is hounded by his mysterious pursuers, who are guided in part by the one man Lord trusts the most. Lord's search takes him across continents to a destination that is ironic, apocalyptic and thrilling.
THE ROMANOV PROPHECY is a captivating work. Like THE AMBER ROOM, it benefits from Berry's interest in the country, people and history of Russia, an interest that he infuses into his books and that ultimately infects his readers as well. One cannot read THE ROMANOV PROPHECY without yearning to visit the country that Berry describes so beautifully and intriguingly. Berry, however, never lets the action get bogged down by the scenery; I'm surprised that THE ROMANOV PROPHECY doesn't come with a blood pressure cuff shrink-wrapped to it. But don't let that stop you from reading this riveting work.
Berry's path to writing THE AMBER ROOM was long and arduous. THE ROMANOV PROPHECY is, accordingly, more than an artistic triumph in the thriller genre; it is also the ultimate justification of those who had faith in Berry and, more importantly, Berry's faith in himself. Highly recommended.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
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