Volk's Game: A Novel [Paperback]

Brent Ghelfi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2008

Alexei Volkovoy--known to the underworld as Volk--is a hardened veteran of the conflict in Chechnya, a gun-for-hire now living in a lawless Russia, serving two corrupt masters: one is Maxim, a psychotic Azeri mafia kingpin, the other a mystery man known only as "The General." When Volk and his lover, a wild-eyed, white-haired young Russian named Valya, are hired by both men to steal the same lost painting from the Hermitage Museum, Volk must choose which to betray, and what that betrayal will cost him. His decision will lead this honest thief into the dark heart of the new Russian oligarchy, where only cash and violence can open doors.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Former attorney Ghelfi's impressive debut introduces a compelling antihero, Alekei "Volk" Volkovoy. A brutal killer maimed in Russia's war against Chechnya, Volk leads two lives—one as a powerful gangster with a hand in virtually all underworld rackets, the other as a covert military operative. When Volk gets the chance to steal a previously unknown Da Vinci painting, Leda and the Swan, which has been concealed beneath another painting in a St. Petersburg museum, Volk enlists the aid of Valya, a beautiful assassin, in plotting the theft. After an ostensible ally sabotages the operation, Volk seeks vengeance. The twists and turns accumulate at an almost dizzying pace, building to a satisfactory resolution. Frederick Forysth fans will appreciate the crisp writing. This thriller could mark the start of a successful long-running series. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Brent Ghelfi writes like Dostoevsky's hooligan great-grandson on speed. Highly recommended."--Lee Child

"State of the art . . . Its characters are colorful, its descriptions of Russia are vivid, and its suspense is palpable. In terms of sheer entertainment, Volk's Game is an impressive debut."--The Washington Post

"Moving at breakneck speed through Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Manhattan, leaving a slippery trail of body parts and exploded vehicles, Ghelfi handles the conventions of his genre like a pro."--Newsday

"The Russia described in Volk's Game is a sad, hopeless place, corruption and poverty are everywhere, no one can be trusted, everyone is capable of betrayal. Volk is a complex character . . . Ghelfi is adept at describing the places and the ambience of the 'new' Russia."--Mystery News

"Thrillmaster Ghelfi's deft and controlled writing viscerally describes the snarling Russian underworld. This blazing tale opens a new series, so expect Volk to join Martin Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko in the top ranks of hyperbolic heroes."--Library Journal (starred review)

"A gritty view of post-Soviet Russia . . . I hope this is just the first of many excursions through Russia guided by Volk."--The Roanoke Times

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Picador (April 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312427840
• ISBN-13: 978-0312427849
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,227,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brutal but engrossing, July 9, 2007

By 

L. J. Roberts (Oakland, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Volk's Game: A Novel (Hardcover)

First Sentence: "What do you know about art, Volk?"

Alexei Volkovoy, "Volk," must balance between to masters; Maxim, a Russia mafia kingpin, and The General, to whom Volk is indebted. They command Volk to steal a painting newly found behind another in the basement of the Hermitage. But the theft quickly goes bad. Men are killed, Volk's lover kidnapped and being tortured. Still Volk must retrieve the painting before they kill his lover.

Ghelfi draws a picture of Russia and Red Square that has changed my way of looking at those areas. Alexei Volkovoy, "Volk," is an interesting protagonist. Ghelfi has also done an excellent job in creating Volk, making him a fully-developed character in spite of brutal nature of the story. Volk may not have many scruples, but he does have them. Volk, and his ladyfriend, Valya, are what life, war and survival have made them. The story is unrelentingly dark and does include torture of women but the characters are not nice, law-abiding people. This is not a pleasant book, but it is a good one and I'm not sorry to have read it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast and thrilling., July 3, 2007

By 

Daniel A. Scott "Just honest!" (Philippi, WV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Volk's Game: A Novel (Hardcover)

This is a fast and thrilling tale of drugs, sex, murder and mayhem. If you like action with intelligence thrown in, then this is for you. Volk is not only tough, he's also smart and a little sadisitic as well, just what this book calls for. Can't wait for his next rampage!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Ambitious Thriller, June 27, 2007

By 

R. Rinaldi (Salt Lake City, UT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Volk's Game: A Novel (Hardcover)

This is a cool thriller -- an action-packed story in an exotic setting with compelling characters. But it is way more than that too. The writing is so good it almost transcends the genre. The author's insights about good and evil in this contradictory "post-postmodern" world are powerful and thought provoking. This novel is almost literary in its ambition to reveal what it means to be human, even in a place and time where just about everything and everyone works to strip humanity away.

And Ghelfi's way with language is hypnotic. Corruption of the soul and human degradation has rarely been so evocatively, even lyrically described. So when reading Volk's Game, you find yourself in the middle of a fast moving page turner, anxious to find out what happens next, but at the same time you want to slow down and linger with each vivid paragraph. It's like stopping for a quick bite at a dingy eatery in the concourse of a faraway airport and discovering a four-star quality meal. To extend the analogy, this novel is a juicy, blood red filet mignon, a carafe of hearty Bordeaux, and a dark (very dark) chocolate soufflé dripping with gooey raspberry sauce. It is so richly rewarding you don't mind taking your time. You can always catch a later flight -- rarely do you get to savor an edifying guilty pleasure like this.