Customer Reviews

The Death of Achilles: A Novel (Erast Fandorin Mystery)

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My mother never cooked pot roast the same way twice even though she made it every Friday night for years. It tasted different every time despite the fact that the basic ingredients remained the same. However, she managed to vary the ingredients and their mixture enough so that each Friday it tasted like a new dish. As a result I never grew tired of it.

The same is true of Boris Akunin's Erast Fandorin mysteries. Each one contains the same basic ingredients: the brilliant, handsome yet emotionally scarred Russian detective Erast Fandorin; charming yet dangerous women; a murder or series of murders which typically have or could have a political impact on mother Russia in the last quarter of the 19th-century; and a villain or villains who test Fandorin's physical and mental skills. Yet, in each one Akunin manages to mix and match the ingredients enough to make each one in the series seem fresh. The fourth in the series, "Death of Achilles", is as fresh as the first (the wonderful "Winter Queen) and was great fun to read.

The plot is relatively straightforward. Fandorin has returned from Japan to Moscow in order to assume the position of Deputy for Special Assignments to Prince Vladimir Dolgoruski, the Governor of Moscow. At his very first meeting with the Prince Fandorin is saddened and astonished to hear that that his friend and mentor General Sobolev, known to his millions of admirers throughout Russia as Achilles, has been found dead in his room. Fandorin is told that Sobolev has died of a heart attack while sleeping alone in his hotel room. Fandorin quickly determines that not only did Sobolev not die in his room but that he died in the midst of a passionate embrace with a well-known German woman of easy virtue. Fandorin next determines that Sobolev's death was not a heart attack but by poisoning and sets out to unravel the crime and reveal the killers.

Fandorin is faced with no easy task. Prince Dolgoruski and the Russian ruling elite (the Royal family) want the matter disposed of quickly with no hint of foul play. Sobolev's comrades at arms have reasons aplenty (some of them quite politically charged) to keep the nature of Sobolev's lurid end from coming to light. Further, Moscow's violent criminal underworld has been tasked with using any means necessary to stop the investigation in its tracks. In other words, for Fandorin an untimely death lurks around every corner.

Although the odds are stacked against him Fandorin can rely on the martial arts skills he acquired while in Japan. He also has some added protection from Masahiro Shibata, a member of the Japanese warrior class who owes his life to Fandorin. This particular aspect of the plot is perhaps the weakest element of Death of Achilles. It does stretch the imagination a bit to believe that a Russian detective has returned from Japan with martial arts expertise and a warrior bodyguard. It is not quite so far fetched as it may sound based on Fandorin's experience with Japan in earlier volumes in the series but it does require more than the normal suspension of disbelief used in most detective novels.

If Fandorin's martial arts skills are the plot's weakest element, they are more than made up for by the starring role accorded to Fandorin's nemesis, Achimas. Achimas is a brutally efficient and intelligent killing machine. He has a mind like a chess master and is Fandorin's equal both in physical and mental skills. As such he is the perfect foil for Fandorin and Akunin does a masterful job of bringing Achimas to life. Akunin provides us with a sharply drawn portrait of Achimas' life. It makes for compelling reading and vests the villain with more subtlety and nuance than is usually the case in such stories.

The Death of Achilles will not disappoint fans of the Erast Fandorin mysteries. It should also be enjoyed by people who are new to Akunin's work. It stands up well on its own and can be enjoyed by people who have not read the earlier book. Having said that, I think the reading experience would be enhanced by reading Akunin's earlier three books in the series. First, they are each excellent in their own right. Second, they provide the reader with background information on Fandorin that does make some of his actions here a bit easier to grasp. In many ways this series is similar to Martin Cruz Smith's series of books involving another Russian detective (about 100 years later) Arkady Renko. Each volume is good by itself but the sum is far greater than its individual parts.

Enjoy!

The fourth installment of the Erast Fandorin series is hands down the best. I loved the first two Akunin novels, but thought The Turkish Gambit was not quite up to that standard. Here, Akunin adds to his literary magic.

The Fandorin character now has more dimensions - six years have passed since the last book, and he's just returned from a commission in Japan, having learned the ways of the Samurai and with a Japanese manservant. He also has new technology, like the telephone, at his disposal.

The typical Fandorin style is here -- a modern take on the breathless florid prose of the 19th Century. Akunin's wit and use of language (I know it's a translation, but could it read even better in Russian) is sharper than ever. The mystery elements of these books, as usual, aren't quite as important as the well drawwn characters, and Akunin has come up with two great ones in the temptress Wanda and the villain, Achimas.

Achimas is what makes this book so great. Not only is he a worthy advesary for Fandorin, but a lot of the book is written from his perspective. Here, Akunin gets to show off his abiilty to write in a completely different style. It all leads up to what I believe is the most heart stopping conclusion amongst the four books that have been translated into English. Great stuff.

We just need to get Andrew Bromfield to work even faster -- there are still seven or so Fandorins that need to be translated.

This is the 4th book in Fandorin series, and it's my favorite one. This book is simply a masterpiece. Great plot. Well-created characters. It's got all the right pieces to it. Kept my attention from the beginning to the end. Boris Akunin rightfully deserved to be called one of the greatest mystery novel writers of modern time.

Renowned Russian war hero General Sobolev is found dead in his room at Moscow's Dusseaux Hotel, a victim of a heart attack. Prince Fandorin, just back from six years of diplomatic duty in Japan to take the job of Deputy for Special Assignments, is stunned to learn of the death of his friend.

Even more shocking is that he learns that the "Russian Achilles" as the General was affectionately known had not died in the room where the body was found and he was in the throes of passion so had not been alone. Fandorin obtains reluctant permission from his superior the Governor of Moscow Prince Vladimir Andreevich Dolgoruski to investigate. With his Japanese manservant Maso assisting him, Fandorin makes inquires into the final days of his mentor only to find himself pitted against a diabolical opponent with no scruples and the strong backing of the leaderships of government, the military and the underworld to stonewall him.

THE DEATH OF ACHILLES is a fabulous Russian historical police procedural that besides entertaining the reader will stun fans as the key viewpoint shifts from Fandorin to the killer about half way into the exciting story line. The mystery is first rate, the deep look at late nineteenth century Moscow is superb, Fandorin is his usual amusing aside self and the killer first rate. The translation of Boris Akunin's excellent thriller is a winner.

Boris Akunin's, The Death of Achilles is the fourth in the Fandorin mystery series. It is unique and interesting because the story is told in two parts. Part one is from the perspective of detective Erast Petrovich Fandorin, and in part two, we are drawn into the life of Fandorin's nemesis, Achimas.

In 1882, Fandorin, returns to Moscow from Japan where he has been for several years. The detective is to take the position of Deputy for Special Assignments. But when he arrives in Moscow, Fandorin learns that his friend and national hero, General Mikhail Sobolev has died of a heart attack.

Fandorin suspects that the death of Sobolev was not a heart attack and he intends to learn the truth. The trail leads to a beautiful woman of ill repute with whom Fandorin believes was with Sobolev when he died.

It is in the best interest of Prince Dolgoruski and the criminal underworld that the investigation is stopped. It is not something Fandorin intends to do. Consequently danger and possible death lurk around every corner.

Akunin's hero is fascinating and mystery aficionados will see a bit of Sherlock Holmes in Fandorin. His love life is reminiscent of James Bond and his Japanese sidekick and bodyguard, remind one of Dr. Watson.

I've never read anything written by Boris Akunin but I will search for his previous novels. While there were portions of the book in which the reader is required to suspend their belief system a bit, it is overall a fast-paced and exciting read.

Armchair Interviews says: The Death of Achilles is filled with a brilliant and handsome hero, a brutal and vicious bad guy, beautiful women, dangerous situations and a plot that is truly unique. In other words, it has it all.

It is the year 1882, and Erast Petrovich Fandorin, detective and diplomat in Tsarist Russia, has returned to Moscow after six years of foreign adventures, ready to commence a new role assigned to the Governor General of Moscow. Hardly has he settled into his new environment that the news spreads that his former mentor and friend General Michel Sobolev, known as "Achilles" by the adoring Muscovites, has been found dead. Fandorin, however, is suspicious of the circumstances of the death: the thirty eight year old General, fit as can be, does not die from a heart attack while sitting in an armchair in his hotel suite...

This, the fourth installment of Boris Akunin's Fandorin detective stories (in English translation, there are more in the Russian original) is, without doubt, one of his best. Fans of the series will recognize some characters from previous volumes, including Achilles and ...well, an enemy who might turn out to be more dangerous than anybody else involved in the conspiracies centred around the Russian Royalty and governing class and the ongoing power struggle between Moscow and St. Petersburg.

What makes it one of Akunin's best novels? His characters are very vividly drawn, Fandorin has "matured" even though he is still only in his late twenties, and his four years in Japan has equipped him with a few extraordinary skills and martial art tools. He has also acquired a Japanese sidekick, Masa, 'manservant' in name only. Last but not least, Fandorin has found an opponent of equal intelligence, sharp and cunning. Just over half-way through the novel, Akunin introduces this adversary, starting with the description of childhood and upbringing. The reader ends up almost liking the man. The author succeeds in developing this other central character, without losing any of the tension that has been built around Fandorin's investigation. We see two sides of the coin, we can make connections that neither of the characters can... Not satisfied with focusing on his central characters, Akunin paints a comprehensive picture of Moscow's class society of the day, and expertly evokes the underbelly of the city and the people who try to survive there - by any means. Readers new to Akunin and Fandorin, will nevertheless enjoy the book, however, it would be preferable if they started at the beginning with The Winter Queen: A Novel (An Erast Fandorin Mystery). Their enjoyment will be enhanced. [Friederike Knabe]

Akunin is in form again with this book. Very fast pace and filled with drama, this is a classic spy/thriller novel. Fandorin and Masa take care of criminals from Moscow's underworld and a particularly chilling villain.

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]

The author writes beautifully & this is well-translated.

The pages fly by. Terrific story, wonderful plot with twists & turns. Highly enjoyable.

This is the fourth Fandorin story to be translated (with kudos to Andrew Bromfield for a great job) of the eleven stories that Akunin has written. It would be great if the publishers could get moving and get more than one book translated each year. Much of this book is a continuation of the story line from the "Winter Queen" and the conflict between Erast and the assassin Achimas.

The book itself has an inventive structure. The first part (which is divided into chapters) deals with Erast and the 'Death of Achilles' (aka General Sobelev) who was a hero to most of Russia. We learn that the General was planning a 'coup d'etat' and that he planned to set himself up as Tsar. He dies though, inflagarante and this is just the beginning of the story. Erast is certain that the General was murdered but he is not sure why, how or on whose orders. As he works his way through the maze of misinformation, double and triple agents, just as he is about to confront Achimas, the first part ends.

The second part (where chapters are headlined by names) is the biography or history of Achimas. How he came to be an assassin for hire and his training and background. We even see how he first encounters Erast. In the end we follow him through the murder of Sobelev and fill in some of the information left out in the first part. Again this section ends as he is about to be confronted by Erast.

The third part is the short (only twenty pages, two chapters) where the two antagonists square off and we learn the identity of the man who has ordered the 'Death of Achilles' and why.

Though I would have preferred to read more about the six years that Erast spent in Japan (I assume there will be flashbacks in future novels) the background on Achimas is entertaining reading.