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Night Soldiers: A Novel Audiobook
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(4.00) - 2,502 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Bulgaria, 1934. A young man is murdered by the local fascists. His brother, Khristo Stoianev, is recruited into the NKVD, the Soviet secret intelligence service, and sent to Spain to serve in its civil war. Warned that he is about to become a victim of Stalin's purges, Khristo flees to Paris. Night Soldiers masterfully re-creates the European world of 1934-45: the struggle between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia for Eastern Europe, the last desperate gaiety of the beau monde in 1937 Paris, and guerrilla operations with the French underground in 1944. Night Soldiers is a scrupulously researched panoramic novel, a work on a grand scale
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"I could not put this book down. There were moments when it seemed as if I were breathing the same air that Khristo Stoianev himself breathes. As thrilling as LeCarre's "spy novels," Furst re-creates Eastern Europe's disintegration from 1934 until the end of WWII, when the Russians "liberate" the Balkan countries from the Nazis. You can hear the fascists footsteps echoing through the town square; you can smell the blood and guts of mountain men, fisher folk, peasants who call themselves Republicans dying as the Monarchists overwhelm them. The vicious struggle between the Stalinists and the German nazis for control of the outcome of the Spanish Civil War is depicted in a manner that ratchets up your emotional tension. Paris in 1937 . . . the decadence, mixed with a loss of hope, is so real. Europe crumbles, Stalin purges first one wave of spy masters, then another. Hitler conquers Europe, and then reconquest of the Allies involves partisan betrayals, Communist purges . . . the complexity and duplicity of this world can be understood by reading this book. Wow! Riveting!"
— Loraine (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Night Soldiers has everything the best thrillers offer—excitement, intrigue, romance—plus grown-up writing, characters that matter, and a crisp, carefully researched portrait of the period in which our own postwar world was shaped.”
— USA Today -
“A spy novel. a war story, an adventure, a survivor’s tale—Night Soldiers is all this and more.”
— Seattle Times -
“Night Soldiersis an atmospheric journey through turbulent lands at a turbulent time, not so much a thriller as it is a panoramic, historical adventure.”
— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette -
“The author’s attention to detail, thumbnail sketches of his characters, and intricate plotting are painstakingly handled by George Guidall in a deliberate and methodical manner. No hurry here. Guidall develops every nuance intended by the writer.”
— AudioFile
Night Soldiers Listener Reviews
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" This is a very good book. I've discovered Fursts books start rather slow, but pick up. "
— Sarah, 2/16/2014 -
" Nobody captures the nuances of Europe on the eve of the descent into WWII like Furst. Night Soldiers is a tribute to the author's powers of observation and reportage. Furst seemlessly moves us from the paranoia of Bulgaria falling under Stalinist domination, to a Paris intent on ignoring the obvious, to life on the hard street of the French resistance. "
— Paul, 2/13/2014 -
" Could be my favorite Furst. Romania, Spain, Paris--even Brooklyn! "
— Richard, 2/6/2014 -
" Good story, got sucked into it pretty quickly, but then it let go of me, then it pulled me back in, then it let go again... Yea. I liked it whan it was all over, but the momentum left much to be desired. The ending was a little pat, though there was LOTS of historical detail that I was sadly unaware of. "
— J., 2/3/2014 -
" Excellent! Gives a very vivid impression of the chaos in Europe during and after WWII. Good characters and lots of action. Smashing! "
— Lysergius, 1/31/2014 -
" another really good WWII spy story. Furst seems to know Eastern Europe and the spy business. Not your normal shoot and chase spy read. It challenges you to keep up with the author "
— Geo, 1/30/2014 -
" I have read most of Furst's books, and I think this is my favorite. The time period in which the books are set is perfect for espionage. "
— Thomas, 1/21/2014 -
" I like Furst's books for their history, but the writing can be clunky. "
— Rod, 1/18/2014 -
" I read about half of this over vacation and got board and gave up. "
— Adam, 1/16/2014 -
" Best of the Alan Furst novels I've read due to its tighter - by Furst standards - plot. "
— Eric, 1/4/2014 -
" mind-bogglingly boring, muddled, and irritating. I am at a loss as to why this writer is so universally praised. "
— Max, 12/30/2013 -
" Furst doesn't just set a scene - he draws an atmosphere around his characters that suffuses every word and action. "
— Jessica, 12/27/2013 -
" This and Dark Star are his best. "
— Paul, 12/25/2013 -
" Excellent spy novel set in Eastern Europe with a USSR trained spy as the central character. "
— Steve, 12/7/2013 -
" Alan Furst is an author i really enjoy. His ability to bring the landscape and times prior to WWII alive in eastern Europe is a skill to be admired. His character building and ability to keep the plot moving makes for a great read. "
— Terry, 11/10/2013 -
" Very involved spy novel set in the WWII era. Nazis, Commies, Partisans - lots of good and bad guys. The plot is quite involved and takes lots of twists and turns. Excellent! "
— Phil, 3/29/2013 -
" I couldn't put it down. "
— Beverlytreumann, 2/17/2013 -
" Chris Ryan buttonholed me at a party and made me buy this. Don't you people understand that Chris Ryan is almost always right? I've been telling you. For years. "
— Alex, 9/20/2012 -
" Enjoyable, but not great. Listened to audiobook, narrator was good. "
— Travis, 9/13/2012 -
" Started listening but just had too much swearing so I didn't continue. "
— Carrie, 8/26/2012 -
" An intelligent story about espionage in Europe just before and during World War 2. Furst creates interesting and complex characters with ease. Very hard to put down. "
— Julian, 8/16/2012 -
" Le Carre with bells on. "
— Julia, 5/3/2012 -
" Not what I expected. Too dark. "
— Ellen, 12/19/2011 -
" Night Soldiers sent me back to some of my old stomping grounds in France, Spain, Hungary .... Tragic, exciting, and interesting read. "
— Christopher, 11/28/2011 -
" I should probably read this instead of listening to it as an audiobook. Trying to follow it while dealing with major chaos in my life was next to impossible. But Furst really wove a wonderful tale of intrigue, one I will need to reread to do it justice. "
— BetHoff, 5/12/2011 -
" Bad Russian spies, pre WWII etc "
— Dan, 4/27/2011 -
" I have read most of Furst's books, and I think this is my favorite. The time period in which the books are set is perfect for espionage. "
— Thomas, 4/4/2011 -
" Alan Furst makes me want to read historical fiction! "
— Cara, 3/19/2011 -
" Very entertaining... I loved the whole Danube thing, though the end fell apart. Definitely worth reading. "
— Katherine, 3/12/2011 -
" Good stuff--I'll be reading more of his books. "
— James, 1/18/2011 -
" Too many characters all with strange names. They get muddled. Started to read, got to about 50 pages and gave up. Couldn't tell who was who. "
— Nana, 1/7/2011 -
" This book follows the adventures of a Bulgarian, recruited by the Soviet NKVD in 1934, throughout world war 2. I found it to be a very enjoyable read; the writing is excellent, really bringing Europe of that era alive. "
— Josh, 11/29/2010 -
" I have read a few of these Alan Furst novels so far, and I think I have enjoyed this one the most. "
— Dougzilla, 11/15/2010 -
" I love Furst's work and this is a good one. Really gripping and so wide in its geographical range in the Europe of war time. Excellent insights into the political complexities of the time, not to mention the self consuming lunacy of Stalinist Russia. "
— Ed, 10/30/2010
About Alan Furst
Alan Furst is widely recognized as the master of the historical spy novel. He is the author of Night Soldiers, Dark Star, The Polish Officer, The World at Night, and others. He has written for a number of magazines and news publications, including Esquire and the International Herald Tribune. Before becoming a full-time novelist, he worked as a copy writer for ad agencies in Seattle; he has also lived in New York and France. Currently, Furst lives on Long Island, New York.
About George Guidall
George Guidall, winner of more than eighty AudioFile Earphones Awards, has won three of the prestigious Audie Award for Excellence in Audiobook Narration. In 2014 the Audio Publishers Association presented him with the Special Achievement Award for lifetime achievement/ During his thirty-year recording career he has recorded over 1,700 audiobooks, won multiple awards, been a mentor to many narrators, and shown by example the potential of fine storytelling. His forty-year acting career includes starring roles on Broadway, an Obie Award for best performance off Broadway, and frequent television appearances.