| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
"Sharply, evocatively written and elaborately plotted...It should find as many friends as did GORKY PARK."
THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD
Back from exile, Arkady Reko returns to find that his country, his Moscow, even his job, are nearly dead. Not so his enemies. Hounded by the Russian mafia, chased by ruthless minions of the newly rich and powerful, and tempted by his great love, Arkady can only hope for escape. Fate, however, has other ideas....
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK
A LITERARY GUILD MAIN SELECTION
From the Paperback edition.
THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD
Back from exile, Arkady Reko returns to find that his country, his Moscow, even his job, are nearly dead. Not so his enemies. Hounded by the Russian mafia, chased by ruthless minions of the newly rich and powerful, and tempted by his great love, Arkady can only hope for escape. Fate, however, has other ideas....
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK
A LITERARY GUILD MAIN SELECTION
From the Paperback edition.
Book Description
Sometimes Arkady had the feeling that while he had been away God had lifted Moscow and turned it upside down . . . The night outside was still white. Arkady wasn’t sleepy or hungry. He felt like the perfect new Soviet man, designed for a land with no food or drink. He got up and left the office. Enough. It began with the unmourned death of Rosen, one of Moscow’s new breed of black marketeers; seemingly a clear-cut case of murder. Although Renko has been recently reinstated at the Moscow Prosecutor’s office, the case begins to slip from his grasp. But his determination never to let go leads him to Munich and Berlin – back into the life of Irina, a woman he though he had lost forever . . . ‘Wonderfully entertaining . . . Red Square is streets ahead of most thrillers that claim to deal with the real world’ Independent ‘The best thriller to appear in several years . . . extraordinary’ Time ‘Dense with observation and atmosphere . . . Smith’s best book yet’ Cosmopolitan
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
And so Martin Cruz Smith continues the tale of Arkady Renko, now reinstated as Special Investigator in Moscow after his redemption in Polar Star. Although thoroughly enjoying this book, I feel it is the only book in the Renko trilogy which would be best enjoyed if the other books had been read first. My principal attraction to the novel was the further development of Renko's character, notably in his painfully futile obsession with his lost love Irina, which serves as an emotional contrast to the muder investigation, the details of which are as complex and engrossing as Smith's previous work.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
First published in 1992, _Red Square_ illustrates the complexities which have emerged as the Russians allow some private enterprise but have not yet become a democracy. Hardliners want to perpetuate their own way of life, while young people and the hungry proletariat want reform and their own piece of the pie. Arkady Renko, who has appeared in two previous Cruz Smith novels (Gorky Park and Polar Star), has returned to Moscow from exile and has resumed his job as a detective, this time investigating corruption and criminal fraud in the city as private enterprise takes illegal turns.
Rudy Rosen, who engages in money-changing, gambling, and other felonies, some of them involving citizens of foreign countries, is cooperating with Renko by allowing him to record conversations. Immediately after Renko leaves Rudy in his car, however, Rudy's car explodes, incinerating Rudy and a suitcase full of cash. As Renko investigates who might have killed Rudy, the complexity of this mystery parallels the complexities of a Russian society in which it's every man for himself in terms of financial transactions.
All the characters are at loose ends, wondering who they are and how they are perceived. Renko is just back from exile, the love of his life having defected to Germany years ago, and she believes that he has abandoned her. Rudy Rosen wants to have it both ways--to cooperate with Renko and to continue his shady dealings. The Chechens who appear in the story are blamed for everything that is violent or illegal, yet they cannot forget the horrors of mass relocation and the killings through which the Russians annihilated their villages. As the investigation of Rudy's death leads Renko from Moscow to Munich and Berlin (and to a meeting with Irina, his long lost love), Renko meets with other Russians who live abroad but still regard themselves as Russian.
Renko is a sad case--morose, love-starved, and without any reason for living--and as he tries to do what it right, his essential goodness comes through. As the case becomes an investigation of stolen Jewish paintings from World War II and earlier, the Russian Mafia abroad and Renko's own superiors threaten his life. The body count rises and who-did-what-to whom becomes confusing, but many readers will focus on the character of Renko. As he tries to navigate the minefield of his own life, he resembles a modern version of some of the great Russian tragic heroes. Not the most unified of the Renko mysteries, but fascinating, nevertheless. Mary Whipple
Rudy Rosen, who engages in money-changing, gambling, and other felonies, some of them involving citizens of foreign countries, is cooperating with Renko by allowing him to record conversations. Immediately after Renko leaves Rudy in his car, however, Rudy's car explodes, incinerating Rudy and a suitcase full of cash. As Renko investigates who might have killed Rudy, the complexity of this mystery parallels the complexities of a Russian society in which it's every man for himself in terms of financial transactions.
All the characters are at loose ends, wondering who they are and how they are perceived. Renko is just back from exile, the love of his life having defected to Germany years ago, and she believes that he has abandoned her. Rudy Rosen wants to have it both ways--to cooperate with Renko and to continue his shady dealings. The Chechens who appear in the story are blamed for everything that is violent or illegal, yet they cannot forget the horrors of mass relocation and the killings through which the Russians annihilated their villages. As the investigation of Rudy's death leads Renko from Moscow to Munich and Berlin (and to a meeting with Irina, his long lost love), Renko meets with other Russians who live abroad but still regard themselves as Russian.
Renko is a sad case--morose, love-starved, and without any reason for living--and as he tries to do what it right, his essential goodness comes through. As the case becomes an investigation of stolen Jewish paintings from World War II and earlier, the Russian Mafia abroad and Renko's own superiors threaten his life. The body count rises and who-did-what-to whom becomes confusing, but many readers will focus on the character of Renko. As he tries to navigate the minefield of his own life, he resembles a modern version of some of the great Russian tragic heroes. Not the most unified of the Renko mysteries, but fascinating, nevertheless. Mary Whipple
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
...and how it has changed! When we first met Chief Investigator Captain Arkady Renko it was at the height of the Cold War when he investigated the deaths of three mutilated bodies in a Moscow park that led to an international conspiracy that reached deep into the Kremlin circle of power. As a "reward" for solving the murders, poor old Renko was stripped of his position and ended up as a 20th century galley slave on a Soviet factory ship in the Arctic circle. After redeeming himself he is back in Moscow, but the times are changing.
The Communists have been booted out, the old ways are dying and the Moscow Militia has to cope with the new threats of international organised crime, drugs, prostitution and old attitudes that refuse to curl up and die. An added distraction for Renko is that Red Square sees the welcome returning of the alluring but dangerous Irina, his long lost love.
Red Square is the third of the Renko books and for me lacks the strength and menace of the earlier two novels, but it remains a fast paced thriller with enough twists and turns to keep you up past midnight as you read just one more chapter. It has the essential chills and sinister characters lurking in the shadows and it's a welcome addition to the Renko saga, but would make a lousy starting point for anyone who has not read the earlier books. Renko comes with baggage and it's important to be aware of it so if you are to fully understand him and his laconic take on life. Buy this with Gorky Park and Polar Star and give yourself a treat.
The Communists have been booted out, the old ways are dying and the Moscow Militia has to cope with the new threats of international organised crime, drugs, prostitution and old attitudes that refuse to curl up and die. An added distraction for Renko is that Red Square sees the welcome returning of the alluring but dangerous Irina, his long lost love.
Red Square is the third of the Renko books and for me lacks the strength and menace of the earlier two novels, but it remains a fast paced thriller with enough twists and turns to keep you up past midnight as you read just one more chapter. It has the essential chills and sinister characters lurking in the shadows and it's a welcome addition to the Renko saga, but would make a lousy starting point for anyone who has not read the earlier books. Renko comes with baggage and it's important to be aware of it so if you are to fully understand him and his laconic take on life. Buy this with Gorky Park and Polar Star and give yourself a treat.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Disappointing
This book suffers from two problems.
The first is that the story, while interesting, reads more like an American spy novel than a Russian one. Read more
The first is that the story, while interesting, reads more like an American spy novel than a Russian one. Read more
Published 7 months ago by BlueBiscuit
Brilliant
Just finished reading and I was enthralled from the beginning to the end of this thriller. Fantastic introduction to Martin Cruz Smith. Read more
Published 12 months ago by W. Walmsley
Red square
I like the Arkady Renko character but it would be good to see him move up in his job. Somebody should notice that he is a good investigator and pay him some respect. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Vytautas Butrimas
Book review October 2009
I have always enjoyed the books by Martin Cruz Smith so much that I sometimes read them again. I liked the action plus the emotional insight into the relationship between Arkady... Read more
Published on 13 Oct 2009 by Dr. R. W. Slee
Red Square by Martin Cruz Smith
A little contrived, plot-wise and not nearly as good as either Gorky Park or Polar Star, but Arkady Renko is always good value and it's good to see him back...
Published on 5 Feb 2009 by Mr Rob Knight
Back in the USSR
Martin Cruz Smith is a former journalist and magazine editor. "Red Square" is his third novel - after " Gorky Park " and "Polar Star" - to feature Arkady Renko and was first... Read more
Published on 31 Jan 2007 by Craobh Rua
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
