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The Man from St Petersburg

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The Man from St Petersburg

By: Ken Follett
Narrated by: Richard Armitage
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About this listen

Read by Richard Armitage (The Hobbit, Missing You)

The Man From St Petersburg is a dark tale of family secrets and political consequences. Ken Follett's masterful storytelling brings to life the danger of a world on the brink of war.

A Secret Negotiation
1914. Tensions are rising as Europe finds itself caught in a web of alliances and dangerous warmongering. To help tip the balance in their favour, Britain aims to draw Russia into an alliance with them instead of Germany. Czar Nicholas’s nephew, Prince Aleksei, is sent to London for secret naval talks with Lord Walden.

A Play for Power
Walden has a personal connection to Aleksei; his wife is Aleksei’s aunt. And they are not the only ones interested in the Russian's arrival; so too are Walden’s wilful, idealistic daughter, the head of Special Branch, and a ruthless Russian anarchist.

A World at War
With the British desperately needing a signed treaty and the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the destinies of these individuals become inextricably linked, as tragedy threatens to shatter the Waldens’ complacency . . .

©2018 Ken Follett (P)2018 Macmillan Digital Audio 20th Century Espionage Historical Historical Fiction Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense World War I Russia Exciting Fiction War Mystery

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All stars
Most relevant  
Overall I enjoyed the audiobook and the story as have an interest in this period of history and it is a good story. However if I’m nit picking then I thought the female characters were a bit wet and could have been developed more and the narrator was great but he can’t really play female voices that well, they all sounded rather camp.

Enjoyed it

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A wonderful blend of political intrigue, class inequalities, and passionate love when coming of age and companionate love when aging. Armitage does a superb narration and has a surprising array of voices and accents for both genders.

fabulous story, fabulously narrated

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Audible edition. Great narration from Richard Armitage. Well developed characters, especially Feliks, Lydia, and Charlotte, even if the speed of Charlotte's transition from "ignorant" child to canny political operator stretches credulity at times. Enjoyed the deep dive into the psychology of Lydia and F. Some rather dubious plot points, and dialogue not top class, but otherwise a lively thriller and interesting take on that period of history, with cameos from real-life historical figures such as Churchill and Pankhurst. A tragic family drama and crime thriller set against the geopolitical backdrop of 1914. This is only my third Follett novel, and although I don't rate it as highly as the other two I've read - Eye of the Needle and Code to Zero - it held me, and I flew through it.

worth reading

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This was an enjoyable read. A book set pre WWI is not usually my novel of choice but my lack of familiarity gave me some interesting insights into both historical characters and political situations. I found it a 'page-turner' and it bowled along at a cracking pace, culminating in a great set piece which I could easily envisage because Ken Follett writes well and in exciting detail. My great-great aunt was a suffragette and so I enjoyed meeting Mrs Pankhurst, listening in on her speeches and learning about the maltreatment of the marchers and protestors. KF has us sympathising with all his characters - even the villain - because we see the world through their eyes. A satisfying ending.

The reader, Richard Armitage, was so good that I found myself binge-listening in one weekend. He has a superb voice and does some lovely accents - various cultured upper-class ones, including a youngish Winston Churchill, Cockney, Russian, Irish, Northern. Even his teenage girls sound right. I have a feeling that his reading has made the book seem better than it actually is but I shall give it 5 stars nevertheless because of the enjoyability factor.

Recommended.

Great Read! Great Reader!

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What an exiting story magnificently told by Richard Armitage .Right from the beginning to the end l couldn't put it down .

Exalant

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A book I'd often heard of but never got around to read. I'm glad, it's a brilliant story especially in the audio version. What makes it so good is the narrator. Excellently performed, I recommend this for anyone who likes a classic tale. 5 star's all round.

Classic story.

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Really enjoyed this book, excellent story and tension throughout, at times I was shouting at some of the characters, must be a good sign!

My 1st Ken Follerr but not my last

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I wanted to listen to this book all the time until it was finished. Good plot, good pace and excellently narrated.

Recommend

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was a slow start to the book but when you get into it you become totally emersed.

great ending

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Great story, like all Ken Follett books. Well researched. Nuanced characters. Excellently read. It's great that they finally made this unabridged version.

Great story, excellently read

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