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Alex Dryden
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Red to Black: A Novel (Anna Rensikov, 1) Paperback – June 15, 2010

by Alex Dryden (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 310 ratings
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“Red to Black has more in common with the elegantly paced books of John le Carré than it does with Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels. But readers who appreciate a healthy dose of real-world worries in their spy novels won’t complain.”
—Richmond Times-Dispatch
 
Gorky Park for the Putin era, Red To Black by Alex Dryden could have been ripped from recent headlines. At once a spy thriller, a love story, and a chilling look at a dangerously resurgent superpower, it is a masterful work that Stephen Fry calls, “Brilliant and unforgettable….Nothing short of miraculous.” Welcome to the New Russia.

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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 3
    Anna Rensikov, 2
  2. Print length
    400 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    June 15, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 1.25 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0061803901
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Prescient . . . [Red to Black] depicts a frightening and ruthless Russia, which answers to nobody.” -- The Economist

“Terrifying, quite frankly . . . chillingly unputdownable―everything you didn’t want to know about Putin but were afraid to ask.” -- Emma Thompson

“Alex Dryden’s brilliant and unforgettable novel has told me more about the making of modern Russia than I could learn from all books of journalism and contemporary history combined...nothing short of miraculous.” -- Stephen Fry

“An exceptional novel by any standard; readers who enjoy a love story mixed with their espionage (à la le Carré‘s The Little Drummer Girl) will appreciate.” -- Library Journal (starred review)

“Dryden has written a superb spy novel....the warning bell that “Red to Black” sounds against Putin’s Russia has a powerful ring, especially when it turns to the KGB.” -- Richmond Times-Dispatch

From the Back Cover

A beautiful and deadly kgb colonel . . . a brilliant and rebellious mi6 operative...a diabolical plot that will change the world order

Finn is a veteran MI6 operative stationed in Moscow. In the guise of an amiable trade secretary, he has penetrated deep into the dangerous labyrinth that is Russia under Vladimir Putin to discover some of its darkest secrets.

The youngest female colonel in the KGB, Anna is the ambitious daughter of one of the former Soviet Union's elite espionage families. Charged with helping to restore Russia to power under Putin, she is ordered to spy on Finn and discover the identity of his mole.

At the dawn of the new millennium, these adversaries find themselves brought together by an unexpected love that becomes the only truth they can trust. When Finn uncovers a shocking and ingenious plan—hatched during the Cold War—to control the European continent, he and Anna are thrust into a deadly plot in which friend and foe wear the same face. With time running out, they will risk everything—career, reputation, and even their own lives—to expose the truth.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ecco; Reprint edition (June 15, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0061803901
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1.25 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 310 ratings

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Alex Dryden

Alex Dryden

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
310 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Michael Burns
5.0 out of 5 stars Great espionage/love story
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
Red to Black is an enjoyable and original take on the espionage genre. It has characters that you love and those that you despise.
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Cheryl B. Dale
4.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT READ
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2013
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This is a spy story. It begins in 1999 and walks us through some of the background of Putin's rise to power and how he's consolidated it.

The heroine, Anna, is a colonel in Russia's foreign intelligence. The hero, Finn, is an M16 operative. They meet and begin an affair with Anna's superiors' approval. She's supposed to dig into what Finn's after.

Finn's own superiors have lost confidence in him. Eventually, they forbid him to continue chasing down information about The Plan. No matter that men have died trying to expose it.

The two fall in love, with Finn telling her one day she'll have to choose between him and Russia. What he doesn't know is that he'll have to choose between his job and finding out the truth about The Plan.

There are no James Bond shenanigans. Just a well-thought out story that lays bare what might be behind the world's financial dealings. Dealings orchestrated by the Russians in a devious master plan with a scope that's frightening. I would say the KGB is behind it. But that no longer exists. At least not by that name...

If you like Le Carre, you'll enjoy this steady-paced low-key thriller. I did.
2 people found this helpful
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Michael D. Laske
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting First Novel
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2014
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This was an interesting first novel with complicated characters and a plot that bordered on the opaque. Still, there were many interesting concepts presented and the novel moved along at a reasonable pace. The writer will mature and improve and I look forward to seeing where he is headed with both the main concept and the main characters. I found the ending somewhat immature but that can be overlooked in an initial effort. I look forward to Mr. Dryden's next book to see how he develops his world.
One person found this helpful
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Justin C Ackerman
5.0 out of 5 stars High quality espionage
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2014
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Excellent read. Good modern day political and espionage thriller. Intelligently written with an a accurate political backdrop and a great historical view of Russia in the late days of communism into the new century
One person found this helpful
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Serge Pesic
4.0 out of 5 stars Disheartening story
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2012
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As I can see, a lot of readers had their doubts about this novel. The problem is the marketing of this book. This is a spy novel, in the manner of John le Carre, and certainly not a mindless thriller ala Tom Clancy. Alex Dryden has some very strong opinions about Vladimir Putin and today Russia. Of course, he is absolutely entitled to them, but even if he is extremely critical towards the complacency of the Western Europe, the story is, as usual, much more complex. I am not a fan or Mr.Putin, but he is not any worse then, for example, Tony Blair, the epitome of tragic lack of stature and principle that defines today's politican. This is a powerful, thick novel of shadows and masks. A challenge I enjoyed. In the end I have a quibble with Mr. Dryden. Calling late Mr. Yeltsin a hope for democracy is mind boggling. His cruel, corrupt regime, that pillaged the Russian people of everything that generations worked for, was the reason that Putin come to power.Now, it might be too late fot tears.
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Kathy
5.0 out of 5 stars Evolution of Putin
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2013
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Amazing and convoluted account of the rise of Putin. The involvement of many countries, their banks, their governments. The brilliant relationship between the spies Anna and Finn. Their ability to anticipate and understand each other politically and personally. Fascinating book from all aspects. A "cannot put down book".
2 people found this helpful
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CSR
4.0 out of 5 stars Read this book so you can then read Moscow Sting
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2015
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This is the first in a two-part series (so far) relating the story of a British spy, Finn, and a Russian spy, Anna. Set against the backdrop of Putin's rise to power, this book tells, in retrospect, the beginnings of their relationship, the oversight of their superiors and the conflicting interests of their countries. It loses its immediacy due to the author's choice of relating the story as a recollection rather than in actual time. But it is well-written and, I believe, will hold the reader's interest as it sets out a quite believable image of the "new" Russia under Putin. However, the main reason to read this book is to get the background that will enhance your enjoyment of the second book, "Moscow Sting" which is extraordinary.
One person found this helpful
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Lyndal
3.0 out of 5 stars Great story pity about the composition
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2020
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This was my first novel by this author I really like the preview.
The story was great just the sort I enjoy.
The way it was written totally put me off reading past the first quarter of the book. I did try as I really enjoyed the story of current Russia. It was such a pity but I could not persevere any longer. I did not try the second book in the series sadly.
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Top reviews from other countries

Sheila M Casey
5.0 out of 5 stars I learnt more about Putin's Russia from this novel than from anything else
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 21, 2014
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An excellent thriller and love story with a great deal of fascinating information about the rise of the new Russia. An excellent mix of fact and fiction.
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Roman Clodia
4.0 out of 5 stars Air of authenticity
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 16, 2009
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Set close to the present (2007), this is an excellent intellectual and political thriller focusing on `the Plan' devised in Soviet Russia in WW2 and carried out despite the fall of the communist states and the emergence of a `new' Russia.

Using the plot device of Finn, an MI6 spy, and Anna, less convincing as a KGB colonel, who fall impossibly in love, this is not high on explosive action, but is far quieter as they follow the trails of financial transactions across Europe, and strive to uncover the sinister reason behind the billions of dirty money flowing out of Russia.

As other reviewers have said, the story maintains a veneer of plausibility, precisely, I think, because it avoids too much impossible action of the James Bond/Jason Bourne type. However it dropped a star from me because the pulling together of the `team', a mixture of misfits from across Europe reminded me of other genre clichés; and also because the various narrative devices sometimes became a little clunky. So, for example, Anna sitting in the present alternates between a present tense narrative, a past tense narrative, and then occasionally an almost third person narrative where she attributes feelings and thoughts to people that she couldn't possibly know.

But this is a small quibble: the central character of Finn is both refreshingly intriguing and engaging, and a far cry from the usual thriller hero: not innocent or naïve but an almost determined ethical standard in the midst of a world of corruption, he lifted the book.

Not completely flawless (how come the KGB couldn't follow Anna and Finn if they were living in his flat in Camden for 4 years? How come she has to be smuggled out of Russia but then is never troubled by the KGB again when she's not exactly invsisible?) hence the dropping of one star, but still an excellent read with a disturbing air of authenticity about it.
4 people found this helpful
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Rosie
4.0 out of 5 stars Red to Black by Alex Dryden
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 15, 2012
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This is a great spy novel portraying the current situation in Russia and how that affects Eastern and Western Europe. Sometimes the story became a bit convoluted, but for all that, a definite page-turner, I read it in a couple of days while on holiday. I wanted to read it after I'd read Snowdrops - another Alex Dryden novel.
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Charles J. Morris
5.0 out of 5 stars Go to the bookstore at once!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 22, 2013
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This was a very expensive book to buy! Why? Because it was so brilliant that I immediately bought the three additional listed novels of Mr Drydens work. Move over John le Carré. Even people who do not normally read spy mysteries should read this brilliant book. It is a remarkable precis of Glasnost from Andropov through to Putin. Without doubt this book has had a great impact on my thinking and hopes for a democratic republic of Mother Russia. It is not much use Googling Mr Dryden, he seems to be very shy. Maybe because of his previous labours before lifting the pen. Incidentally his three follow up books are equally excellent and could be used in schools as both history and geography books.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT WRITING, GRIPPING INTRIGUING EXPRESSIVE HIS EXPERIENCE OF BEING ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 5, 2016
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BRILL READ, I WAS HOOKED FROM PAGE 1. EXCELLENT WRITING, GRIPPING INTRIGUING EXPRESSIVE HIS EXPERIENCE OF BEING ON THE GROUND IS MORE THAN EVIDENT AND IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE STORY. IT REALLY COULD HAPPEN
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