What a wonderful series! Worth reading multiple times.
This series explains political, economic and personality intricacies surrounding two world wars What a wonderful series! Worth reading multiple times.
This series explains political, economic and personality intricacies surrounding two world wars involving multiple countries mainly Germany, Russia, America, Britain and some other countries Hungary, Austria, France, etc.
There are many world events that I am familiar with but didn't know in depth. For example, I knew about Berlin wall, but didn’t know the reason why Germany split after Hitler's fall. This series clarified many questions that I didn’t know I had. Highly recommend for all who desired to be history buffs.
Author explained the world events through five families spanning 4-5 generations. Author said that he quoted the known speeches of world leaders (famous/notorious) as such and the characters from these five families worked closely with these world leaders to give insight/explain how the life changing or even world changing decisions were made by these leaders.
Greg and Lev brothers were from Russia. Greg lost his parents to tzar's atrocities, forced to serve world war I, gave up his chance to Lev to go to US, worked with Lenin during Bolshevik revolution, worked with Stalin during World War II era. Thus, giving insights into all these events. His adopted son Volodya worked as spy recruiting agents from Germany who disclosed vital information of Germany's secret plan to attack Russia though Hitler signed peace pact with Stalin. Greg's grandson Dimka worked closely with Krushchev and Gorbachev revealing how Russia controlled East Germany to save communism resulting in Berlin Wall during Krushchev's and his supporters’ era and the decentralization in Russia and eventual Russia's withdrawal from Hungary and Germany resulting in collapse of Berlin Wall.
British Earl Fitz’s wife Bea was the sister of last tzar Nicholas II and witnessed the downfall of the last tzar and fictionalized version of tzar’s family’s execution. Fitz’s sister Lady Maud married Walter Von Ulrich and lived in Germany. Walter and Fitz served in World War I for their country. Walter and Maud saw the rise of Hitler through Enabling Act and their daughter Carla witnessed/acted as key person in exposing Action T4, a program involuntarily euthanizing the invalids. Carla’s husband Werner acted as a spy working with Volodya to reveal Hitler’s war secrets to Germany. Carla’s adopted daughter Rebecca fled to West Germany and worked as politician there revealing the differences in life between two parts of Germany.
Fitz’s son Boy was part of short-lived fascism march against Jews supporting Hitler’s ideas. Fitz’s bastard son Lloyd Williams volunteered in revolution against fascism in Spain, served in World War II fighting against Germany alongside Russian counterparts. Lloyd’s mother Ethel rose from house maid to Fitz’s family to a politician fighting for women’s voting rights to member of parliament voting for gay’s rights to becoming a baroness! What a rise!
Lev went to US, became a bootlegger with two offspring, Daisy and Greg, a bastard. Daisy went to England and married Boy, participated in fascism march against Jews, then reformed by becoming an ambulance driver for Germany’s air raid victims in Britain. Germany air raided retaliating Britain’s air raid in Germany. She eventually married Lloyd. Greg worked in white house and witnessed the development and testing of nuclear bomb. Greg had a bastard son Georgy with African American Jacky. Georgy was a lawyer/politician who worked closely with Bobby Kennedy during John Kennedy’s era. Georgy worked for civil rights movement in his own way, communicated with Martin Luther King on behalf of Bobby Kennedy, witnessed the atrocities by Bull Connor in Alabama, worked alongside or witnessed the decisions by multiple Presidents Lyndell Johnson, death of Bobby Kennedy (a prospective President), Nixon, Carter, Reagan, and Bush. Georgy and his paramour Maria Summers were key personnel in revealing Nixon scandal.
Gus Dewar, son of a US politician, worked closely with FD Roosevelt, worked as spy/observer of the pulse of political intricacies during World War I to communicate to FDR. He witnessed Japan’s attack of Pearl Harbor and eventual US’s participation in World War I.
The series reveal so much intricacies which cannot be summarized that easily.
Author ended the series with an excerpt of Barack Obama’s Presidential inauguration speech. Way of revealing the evolution of civil rights movement.
When I first listened to the audiobook, I listened to an abridged version, then I listened to this full version. Glad I did as there were nuances in tWhen I first listened to the audiobook, I listened to an abridged version, then I listened to this full version. Glad I did as there were nuances in the full version that I would rather not miss.
The story is set at World War I period and unfolds from the viewpoint of an upper class family, a working class family (Welsh) in Britain, a working class family in Russia, an upper class family in Germany and business class family in America. The author mentions that he used the real persons' (Churchill, Woodrow Wilson, Lloyd George, etc) words in the story and the fiction for the rest.
I get angry whenever I see injustice in the name of discrimination. British upper class folks not only treated the colonized people very badly, they treated the working class folks badly too. When some upper class folks felt sorry for czar, czarina and prince because they lost the royalty to bolshevik revolution, I felt incredulous! Fitz talked that these working class people in Russia were thieves because his son lost inheritance of Russian land! seriously! When people didn't even have money to buy food to survive and he felt indignant about the loss of inheritance. Probably the worst character in this book.
The discrimination in the name of gender! The labor party's rise in Britain bring forth the revolution in working class and the right to vote for women, though only selected few. Love Ethel and her gut! Hope to see more of her in the next book.
Working class people in Russia and Jewish people in Germany suffered the worst. How cruel a human being can be to another human being. ...more
Though the story happens at California, the main character, Morayo De Silva, reminisce her Nigerian country and culture a lot. Morayo, a retired EngliThough the story happens at California, the main character, Morayo De Silva, reminisce her Nigerian country and culture a lot. Morayo, a retired English professor, is 75 years old. The story unfolds from her viewpoint and also from the viewpoint of the people she encounter. She fell and broke her hip. She was admitted to old age home for few days to recoup and felt the loss of her freedom. she thought that losing the car license will take away her freedom even further. The story mainly talks about life.
The first book series that I read from one of my favorite author. The writing is gripping even though the storyline is not so awesome. The series follThe first book series that I read from one of my favorite author. The writing is gripping even though the storyline is not so awesome. The series follow the life of Harry Clifton and the people around him over 7 books. He didn't have enemy per se, however, he had his share of hardships like any other. Because of this, the author can only talk about a person so much. Therefore, the story had to revolve around multiple characters, some really fantastic, some insipid and some....wondered why the author spent so much time on these characters.
The author dragged the story for 7 books. If he did it in three books and concentrated on Harry, his mother, his wife, his friend Giles, then this series would have been even more powerful, just my two cents.
Whenever the books talked about strong women characters, Maisie Clifton, Harry's mother, and Emma Clifton, Harry's wife, I enjoyed their triumphs over many hardships they faced. They both were truly remarkable characters by the author.
Overall thoroughly enjoyed the author's writings :)...more
Since book club friend Gorab raved about this book series, thought will try one :) I haven't read manga in a long while. The storyline is really interSince book club friend Gorab raved about this book series, thought will try one :) I haven't read manga in a long while. The storyline is really interesting!
This book is like Indira Soundarrajan books. Telling the story that has both supernatural and historical aspects. It was interesting to know how the wThis book is like Indira Soundarrajan books. Telling the story that has both supernatural and historical aspects. It was interesting to know how the words from other languages morph into a different word/meaning in the local language in which the story is told. I hear about the story of Manasa Devi and the gun merchant for the first time. How banduki sadaagar, meaning gun merchant, in Bengali means the merchant of Venice when the words are properly identified in Arabic and translated. The story of Manasa Devi is imbued in the storyline and in the development of the characters.
However, the story also talks about the history of human trafficking and slavery that repeats itself over and over. And the current immigration issues that impact every nation due to this human trafficking. On the one hand, the migrants dream of a better future and salvation from their current miseries by subjecting themselves to human trafficking to cross the borders illegally as they have no option legally. On the other, the locals of these nation fear the negative impact on their economic status. Europeans who were once masters have no say with migrants voluntarily coming to their nation and depriving the Europeans of one source of income, slave trading.
This book is different from the other two books of this author that I read so far. ...more
The author claims that all except two characters were all legendary figures from the real life or from th"In every legend, there is a grain of truth"
The author claims that all except two characters were all legendary figures from the real life or from the mythology/folklore told around the world. Characters include Nicholas Flamel, Virginia Dare, John Dee, Osiris, Isis, Mrithyu, Mars, Tsagaglalal, Prometheus, etc. Author even talks about vimana and Atlantis and monsters such as vetala, minataur, etc.
The story claims that our ancestors were not primitive and they possessed advance technology including moving from one country to another country through magic gates, combining human and animal creatures (like anubis) through gene research, creating different realms of worlds with aura/energy, various types of vimana transportation, and tablets to communicate. The story revolves around twins who has pure gold and silver aura, very rare, and how they were destined to destroy one world (Danu Talis) and save another world (Earth). There were multiple races earthlords, elders, next generation who lived more than 30,000 years ago. Then there were immortals like Nicholas Flamel who were immortal through using formula from the codex book and other people made immortals by the bad elders so that these immortals can work for the bad elders literally as slaves.
Very nice and fast paced series. Enjoyed it thoroughly....more
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