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Black Sun
Based on a true story, the critically acclaimed Soviet thriller
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Check link for latest rating. ( 2,145 ratings, 196 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Black Sun
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
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Description
Based on a true story, this acclaimed, chillingly authentic, page-turner of a thriller brings Soviet Russia and the Cold War world to brilliant life and should rank alongside Martin Cruz-Smith's Gorky Park and Robert Harris' Archangel.
'Outstanding' - SUNDAY TIMES
'A stunning debut thriller . . . utterly terrifying . . . absolutely riveting' - DAILY MAIL
'Fascinating . . . fearsome' - FREDERICK FORSYTH
'Enthralling' - FINANCIAL TIMES
'Thrilling . . . compelling' - SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIORE
1961. Hidden deep within central Soviet Russia is a place that doesn't appear on any map - a city called Arzamas-16. Here, dedicated scientists and technicians are building the most powerful nuclear device the world will ever see - three thousand times more powerful than Hiroshima.
But days before the bomb is to be tested, a young physicist is found dead. His body contains enough radioactive poison to kill thousands. The authorities believe it is suicide - they want the corpse disposed of, the incident filed and forgotten. But Moscow is alarmed by what's going on in this strange, isolated place.
And so KGB major Alexander Vasin is sent to Arzamas to investigate. What he finds there is unlike anything he's experienced before. His wits will be tested against some of the Soviet Union's most brilliant minds - eccentrics, patriots and dissidents who, because their work is considered to be of such vital importance, have been granted the freedom to think and act, live and love as they wish. For in Arzamas, nothing can be allowed to get in the way of the project. Not even murder . . .
Intricately researched, cunningly plotted and brilliantly told, Black Sun is a fast-paced and timely thriller set at the height - and in the heart - of Soviet power from the acclaimed author of An Impeccable Spy.
What readers are saying:
'Woven around real events, people and places, it's genuinely terrifying stuff' - *
'The twists and turns and intrigue kept me on tenterhooks' - *
'Brings alive one of the most fascinating periods of Soviet history' - *
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Owen Matthews's Black Sun has garnered praise as a stunning debut thriller that is ferocious, authentic, and utterly riveting. Critics have highlighted its gripping narrative, fearsome authenticity, and its ability to transport readers to Soviet Russia during the Cold War. The novel skilfully combines fact and fiction with a richly detailed Soviet setting and a compelling murder investigation, making it a standout in the crime and thriller category.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780552176576
Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 09 July 2020
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Corgi Books
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 25.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 197.0mm
Weight: 290g
Pages: 416
About the Author
Russian expert OWEN MATTHEWS is the author of two highly praised works of non-fiction, Stalin's Children and An Impeccable Spy, and two acclaimed historical thrillers, Black Sun and Red Traitor. As a war correspondent, he covered conflicts in Bosnia, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Iraq and Ukraine, and for ten years he was was Newsweek's Moscow bureau chief. He divides his time between Rome and Moscow.
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