Russka

The author of the phenomenally successful Sarnum: The Novel of England now turns his remarkable talents to an even larger canvas-Russia. This panoramic novel is rich with everything that makes Russia so fascinating-it's people, politics, religion and culture-and covers 1800 years of its history.

Omnipotent tsars and mad monks, vast primeval forests and endless steppes, aristocratic grandeur and revolutionary fervor: the allure of Russia has long been felt in the Western imagination. With its unforgettable characters, narrative drive, and scrupulously accurate historical detail, Edward Rutherfurd's Russka immerses readers in a land and culture that is mysterious and complex.

Russka is the story of four families who are divided by ethnicity but united in shaping the destiny of Russia. From a single riverside village situated at one of the country's geographic crossroads, Russia's Slav peasant origins are influenced by the Greco-Iranian, Kazar Jewish, and Mongol invasions. Unified by this one place, the many cultures blend to form a rich a varied tapestry.

Rutherfurd's grand saga is as multifaceted as Russia itself: harsh yet exotic, proud yet fearful of enemies, steeped in ancient superstitions but seeking to shape the emerging world. Peter the Great, Ivan the Terrible, Catherine the Great, and Lenin all play their roles in creating and destroying the land and its people. In Russka, Edward Rutherfurd transform the epic history of a great civilization into a human story of flesh and blood, boldness and action, and firmly establishes his position as today's foremost novelist of great and ancient cultures.