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The Death of Achilles: A Novel (Paperback)

by Boris Akunin (Author), Andrew Bromfield (Translator)

5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Product Details

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks; 1st printing edition (April 18 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0812968808
ISBN-13: 978-0812968804
Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 14 x 2 cm
Shipping Weight: 227 g

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Amazon.ca Sales Rank: #16,420 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in this category:
#16 in Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Russian

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Set in 1882, Russian author Akunin's fourth novel to feature Erast Petrovich Fandorin (after 2005's The Turkish Gambit) consists of two parts that read like different books. In part one, the 26-year-old special agent comes to Moscow to investigate the sudden demise of national hero Gen. Mikhail Sobolev, who dies in the bed of an alluring courtesan. Fandorin learns of Sobolev's plan for a coup and of a missing suitcase full of a million rubles to fund it. The trail of the missing suitcase leads to the dangerous Khitrovka slums and then to Pyotr Khurtinsky, the scheming head of the secret section of the governor-general's chancellery. One step ahead of Fandorin is the mysterious Klonov, an assassin who may have once tried to kill our hero. As Fandorin closes in on Klonov, the narrative jumps to a retelling of the assassin's life. This shift brings a welcome change of storytelling, from the often stiff, theatrical language of the first section to a more natural, unembellished style. An exciting resolution only partly offsets this incongruity. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Russian mystery buffs revere Akunin (the pen name for Russian-born essayist and critic Grigory Chkhartishvili), who renders smart, stylistic thrillers set in the late nineteenth century. In the author's fourth novel to be published in the U.S. (after 2005's The Turkish Gambit), -Sherlock Holmes-like special agent Erast Petrovich Fandorin investigates the sudden demise of his old war-hero friend, General Mikhail Sobolev, who died of an apparent heart attack in the arms of a German nightclub singer. Details soon surface about Sobolev's plans for a coup and a missing suitcase containing the rubles to finance it. Fandorin's pursuit of the loot leads to the slums of Khitrovka and the criminally minded head of the governor-general's secret chancellery. The hunter soon becomes the hunted, as Fandorin is tailed by Klonov, an enigmatic assassin. Although some readers may be rattled by the novel's abrupt shift in point of view (from Fandorin's formal style to a more lyrical retelling of the hired-gun's life), Akunin's high-energy ending makes up for the narrative glitch. Allison Block
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Assessor confronts the Assassin, Aug 22 2008

By	Stephen A. Haines (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

Erast Fandorin's return to Moscow is marred by the death of his war-hero friend, The White General - Mikhail Sobolev. Although the apparent cause is an unexpected heart-attack, Fandorin, exercising his unusual observation skills suspects foul play. As he investigates the circumstances, it seems he's correct, but nobody is willing to acknowledge the reality. Fandorin, in fact, sees any support for his seeking the truth not only whither away, but become outright hostile. This is a very political crime, indeed. In an excruciatingly twisted and seemingly endless story, Akunin has again demonstrated the skills that have made him one of Russia's most popular contemporary writers.

Unlike some of the Fandorin books, such as "The Turkish Gambit" where our hero often seems limited to almost cameo roles, the "collegiate assessor" - his innocuous-sounding official title - is more present and accounted for in this story. He even demonstrates his skills at disguise to enter one of Moscow's less salubrious evening entertainment establishments in search of information for his quest. Although the politicians fail to provide Erast with any support, the "registrar's" time in the Orient enabled him to gain a helpmeet. Masahiru, who bears an interesting resemblance to Peter Sellers' "Kato" in the Inspector Clouseau films, has interesting tastes in both food and women. A samurai, he's taught Erast much, but is seriously challenged in adapting to the West. Still, it's a team with amazing potential. Akunin has a talent for giving us only a partial view of Fandorin. Even after four introductions, we remain uncertain of with whom we are dealing. Which certainly doesn't detract from the story.

In this tale, a new prose style and an unexpected element appear as a departure from the rest of the series. The style is slightly more open and there are flashes of humour rarely present in Akunin's work - if you set aside ironies. In many ways, this is the most "readable" of the Fandorin tales. Subtle differences from the rest of the series - it is less "imitative" than the previous books -providing it with a characteristic flavour. The element is to set aside over a third of the book to a [seemingly] new character - Achimas. Akunin develops this man in exquisite detail, weaving a compelling, if disturbing narrative around the forming of a dedicated killer. Known as Aksahir - the "White Wizard" - Achimas moves through Russia and into Europe building a reputation. With so much space dedicated to Achimas' story, it's clear that a confrontation with Fandorin is inevitable. Its resolution, of course, will have surprising twists. After all, this is Akunin! [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful yarn, Jul 8 2009

By	Prairie Pal (Winnipeg, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Boris Akunin, the pen-name of the Georgian novelist, editor and critic Grigory Shalvovich Chkhartishvili, is a gift to the world of historical mysteries. His two chief creations, Erast Fandorin (a dandyish civil servant of the Imperial government) and Sister Pelagia (a rural Orthodox nun) are wildly popular in Russia and deservedly so. In "The Death of Achilles", the fourth in the Fandorin series, Akunin gives us both a political thriller and a portrait of a soulless killer. Fandorin must track down the murderer of a beloved general who was involved in a dangerous nationalist conspiracy. This hunt will lead him to a professional assassin with whom our hero has crossed swords before. The killer's conscienceless career of death contrast brilliantly with that of the deeply moral Fandorin. I highly recommend this book and, indeed, any other by Boris Akunin.

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