Flames of Heaven: A Novel of the End of the Soviet Union [Hardcover]

Ralph Peters (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1993

From the bestselling author of Red Army, a dazzling novel of the end of the Soviet Union. Peters brings together extraordinary characters in a story that will resonate for decades to come. He reveals the heart of the violent, vibrant, visionary people tasting for the first time the passion that can destroy old worlds and build new ones.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Recent history provides the backdrop for Peters's bleak novel about a crumbling empire inhabited by dreary people. Self-absorbed Latvian Sasha Lesknov makes his living painting murals glorifying the Soviet military. On assignment in Potsdam in 1989, Sasha befriends stoical army captain Mikhail "Misha" Samsonov, a highly decorated Afghan war veteran. Returning to Moscow to restore an unfit regiment to combat readiness, Misha meets and eventually marries Vera, Sasha's pretty but somewhat dull ex-girlfriend. Sasha begins an affair with exotically beautiful Shirin Talala, whose father is the notorious Uzbek mob chieftain Ali Talala. Sasha's brother Pavel, a loyal KGB functionary, is trying to bring Ali to justice. But that's the least of Ali's problems: his beloved right-hand man may betray him, and Islam fundamentalists are threatening his fiefdom. A violent coup is launched in Uzbekistan, and Misha and his now capable unit are dispatched to quell the unrest. The adventure and suspense that filled Peters's Red Army and The War in 2020 are absent here; unrelievedly downbeat, the story drags on like a Siberian winter.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Sasha Leskov is a good artist who paints mediocre Soviet military murals. Misha Samsonov is a good soldier who leads troops into losing battles, most recently in Afghanistan. In this novel of contemporary Soviet life, both discover that although their professional ideals are hopeless, they are blindsided by unexpected loves that redeem their despairing lives. Sasha's love for Sherin, the beautiful Uzbek, links their fates to political conflict from Latvia to Uzbekistan as her powerful father pits his brutal clan against the KGB forces of Sasha's brother. The intrigue and passions that overwhelm characters in this compelling novel are as timely as today's headlines. Peters, author of Red Army ( LJ 4/1/89) , Bravo Romeo (S. & S., 1990), and The War in 2020 ( LJ 3/15/91), is also an army intelligence analyst at the Pentagon. He demonstrates not only a talent for characterization but a formidable knowledge of the former USSR. Recommended for popular collections.
- Ann Donovan, St. Petersburg Junior Coll. Lib., Fla.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Atria (May 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671737384
• ISBN-13: 978-0671737382
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,203,440 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The man can WRITE., December 18, 2001

By 

Stephen Green "VodkaPundit.com" (Colorado Springs, CO United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Flames of Heaven: A Novel of the End of the Soviet Union (Hardcover)

The prologue. Ralph Peters gives you the perspective, the eyesight, of a Soviet Third Shock Army officer stationed in East Germany, 1989. Inside the Magdeberg headquarters, you drink vodka with the Russion generals. You smell the stink of their fear-sweat. You hear their outrage and lack of understanding as the East Germans protest down the streets against them. Against you.

Ralph Peters gets you so close to them, you not only feel the scratchy wool of their uniforms, but when word comes that the locals are tearing down the Berlin Wall... it hits you with the same end-of-the-world kidney punch as it must have hit real-life Soviet officers.

And that's just the first few pages. Next up, we have exotic locals, both hot and cold, intrigue, plots, Islamic terror, and some of the hottest (...romance) to ever land on the pages of a hardcover novel.

Plus the usual heaping dose Ralph Peters of tragedy.

Beg, borrow, buy, or steal this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rich Characters, April 9, 2002

By 

John G. Hilliard (Toronto Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Flames of Heaven: A Novel of the End of the Soviet Union (Hardcover)

This book may be in the wrong category. I would not really place it in the action group becuase it is a display of a deep character driven novel. It is really a very interesting look at this difficult time for Russian's. It was also much more enjoyable then I thought it would be. The descriptions of the locations and main home were very good. I also liked the characters that were created. They had depth and feeling, not just scratch the surface to fill pages. The book is not the feel good hit of the year, it does had a rich plot that you need to keep up with, but the author rewards your efforts with a masterly written book. I think when it comes down to it that is the strength here, the writing is just very good, a lot of feeling comes out.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tightly written! A good read., October 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Flames of Heaven: Flames of Heaven (Paperback)

Since Peters came out with Red Army, I have read all of his works. I have enjoyed them all, but this is his best to date.