Finally got around to reading “Independence Square” by Martin Cruz Smith and just completed reading the final few chapters earlier today. My first thought is: Arkady Renko is back! And my second thought is…was Renko always this tired and cynical? My answer to my second thought is: yes, the reason I read Renko’s journey through several of Smith’s book going back 40 years was due to his Russian-flavored worn-and-weary detective noir character. Now Renko has serious medical issues along with advancing age so him and I carry the same burdens of life.

So did I like the story? Yes, with an asterisk. The storyline is very “ current” with the novel focusing on the issues of the intertwined complexities of The Ukraine and a reinvigorated Russia under Putin. The asterisk is due to the storyline having too many chapters that took me away from the perils of the major characters so as to tell the geopolitical stories of Russia, Ukraine, and Crimea. Many readers probably needed the historical background: it so happens that I did not require much of the history included by Martin Cruz Smith.

Good news for Renko enthusiasts: Renko’s world intersects with his old flame Tatiana ( but no spoilers concerning that! ). Renko is hired to track down the daughter of a shady character ( there are so many shady characters in Mother Russia ) The daughter is a major figure in an anti-Putin group — and that can make for some queasy moments. So I once again am grateful to NetGalley for this chance to meet up with an old friend and to enjoy where the plot takes us both.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with an ARC.

A dark, fast paced book. For those of you already familiar with Renko, this will not disappoint. For those who are meeting Renko for the first time, get ready for an intriguing ride.

Martin Cruz Smith is an awesome writer and this book does not disappoint. It will eep you hoping for a happy ending, afraid of something sad happening. Read this wonderful book by a talented authro.

Published by Simon & Schuster on May 9, 2023

Arkady Renko is one of my favorite protagonists in the world of crime fiction. Renko has long struggled (with surprising success) to maintain his integrity in a corrupt land. In Independence Square, his indirect adversary is the most powerful man in Russia, if only because all corruption in Russia eventually pays its dues to Putin.

The story takes place shortly before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A Moscow racketeer who goes by the nickname Bronson wants to hire Renko to find Karina Abakov, his missing daughter. As a Moscow police detective, Renko knows his perilous career will be over if he is caught taking money from Bronson, but he agrees to help for free.

Karina was affiliated with a social movement called Forum for Democracy. When Renko asks if the movement is anti-government, the response he receives is “Isn’t everybody?” Whenever the group has a demonstration, motorcycle thugs known as the Werewolves break it up. The Werewolves are Putin’s version of the Hell’s Angels. How they know the Forum’s movements in advance is a mystery.

Renko has an adopted son named Zhenya who happens to know Karina. Zhenya knows Karina’s friend Elena better. Zhenya’s friend Alex is sweet on Karina, so Renko visits with Alex and Elena to see if either of them has a line on Karina’s current location. Alex apparently learns something about Karina and sends Renko pictures of three Russian authors as a coded clue. Before Renko can meet with him again, Alex is assassinated. Renko is assigned to investigate the death, giving him cover to poke into Karina's disappearance.

The story involves multiple loosely related assassinations. Renko’s search for Karina takes him to Kyev and Sevastopol, where some of those assassinations occur. The plot twists a couple of times and generates at least one genuine surprise. Fortunately, Martin Cruz Smith doesn’t follow the path of outrageous twists that are common to lesser thriller writers. The story never sacrifices plausibility to create suspense, but Smith does generate tension as the plot moves toward its conclusion. Independence Square isn’t as compelling as Smith’s best novels, but I am always captivated by the stories he tells.

Although the story precedes the invasion of Ukraine, it is timely. Renko views Putin’s Russia as “Stalin’s Great Terror updated for modern times, with disinformation, legal machinations, indiscriminate violence.” While Putin is a monster lurking just beyond the novel’s perimeter, much of the story focuses not on the forthcoming war but on Crimean Tartars, an ethic group that has been oppressed for centuries. Through a Tartar living in exile in Kyev, Smith offers a quick lesson in the group’s history before and after the most recent Russian occupation of Crimea.

Renko’s life changes a bit with every novel in the series. In Independence Square, Renko becomes involved with Elena just as Tatiana, the journalist who used to be his lover, crosses his path again. Tatiana is the woman he can’t forget. Her loss is one of the many events that has left Renko with a tortured soul. His discovery that he is in the early stages of Parkinson’s only adds to his sense of resignation. Whether resignation will be offset by hope and whether newfound hope will be shattered are always questions in Renko novels. Where Renko’s life will go next is a question I hope Smith will answer soon.

RECOMMENDED

Arkady Renko is Back!

This 10th and latest entry in the Arkady Renko series is an entertaining and fun thriller. Set in Russia and Ukraine, Renko is asked to track down an associates daughter who has gone missing. This novel is not only a Russian police thriller, but is set during the brink of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is very well done and makes this story and setting uniquely entertaining. While I wouldn’t say that the Russian invasion is used directly as a plot device, the tension and depth that it creates as a backdrop makes this story feel that much more realistic.

Overall, I enjoyed this fast-paced thriller and the handful of twists that it provided. The ending really left me wanting to read another 100 pages to see what happens next. So I will eagerly be waiting for the next book in the series to see how Renko is faring in the aftermath of the events of this book.

If you are looking for a faced-paced, quick, and unique thriller with well-done research in Russian/Ukranian and their politics, then I would recommended this picking this book up! Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in which I am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

3.5 stars

Author Martin Cruz Smith introduced Moscow police detective Arkady Renko in the novel 'Gorky Park' in 1981. There are nine more books in the series, and Renko has aged a bit over time. In 'Independence Square', Martin Cruz Smith, who has Parkinson's Disease, takes a leaf from his own life, and Renko is diagnosed with the same ailment. Thus the popular fictional investigator is a little slower and shakier, but still on the ball. I hope Renko keeps on truckin'.

In this 10th book in the 'Arkady Renko' series, set in the summer of 2021, the Russian police detective searches for the missing daughter of a gangster.

*****

Arkady Renko, who tends to have a mind of his own, has always been on the blacklist of his corrupt boss, Prosecutor Zurin. Over the years, Zurin has sent Arkady to regions far from Moscow, such as Kaliningrad on the Polish border; Lake Baikal, halfway to the Far East; and the Siberian tundra. Now Zurin has relegated Arkady to a desk job, and the detective is chafing from the boredom.

In Renko's private life, his doctor tells him he has Parkinson's disease; his long-time girlfriend Tatiana Petrovna - who says Arkady lacks ambition - has left him for her work as an investigative reporter; and Arkady and his adopted son, a young chess whiz named Zhenya, tussle over Zhenya's future. At the chess tables in Gorky Park, Zhenya introduces Arkady to his friend Alex Levin - a computer hacker and member of an anti-government group called 'Forum for Democracy' (Forum).

Meanwhile, a gangster nicknamed Bronson, who runs protection rackets all over Moscow, comes to Arkady for help. Bronson confides that his daughter Karina has gone missing, and the 'assholes' he hired to find her haven't gotten anywhere. Bronson tells Arkady that Karina is a professional violinist and that she belongs to an anti-government group called Forum.

Karina's roommate Elena also belongs to 'Forum', and Elena and Arkady attend an anti-government rally to see what they can find out about the missing woman. The Forum demonstration is disrupted by a right-wing, government-sponsored motorcycle gang called the Werewolves, who ride around, make noise, and threaten people.

Computer hacker Alex is at the Forum rally as well, and he offers his techie skills to help look for Karina. However, Alex is murdered soon afterward, and Prosecutor Zurin assigns Renko to investigate the homicide, to show that the government is (supposedly) doing something to find the killer.

Renko thinks Alex's death may be linked to Karina's disappearance, and Arkady and Elena - who are having a romance by now - set off to find the truth. The search for Karina takes the duo to the Ukraine - which Russia is on the brink of invading; and then to Crimea - where Karina was born. Along the way, Renko and Elena come across Arkady's former girlfriend Tatiana, who's reporting on the politics of the region.

Renko's search for Karina leads to discoveries that endanger the lives of both Arkady and Elena, and the last part of the book is a straight-up thriller.

As the story unfolds, we learn a little about the history and politics of the region, including Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014; Putin's plans to invade Ukraine; and the plight of the Tatars (a Turkic speaking ethnic group), who fear they'll be expelled from Ukraine if Russia occupies the country. There are also portrayals of the cities visited by Renko and Elena, and descriptions of monuments and statues erected by the Soviets, who like to commemorate their past.

I would have liked to see more mystery in the book, which seems more like a thriller than a suspense story. However, Martin Cruz Smith's depictions of Russia seem very authentic, and I was intrigued by Arkady Renko's latest adventure.

Thanks to Netgalley, Martin Cruz Smith, and Simon & Schuster for a copy of the manuscript.

Like many mystery lovers, I first encountered Arkady Renko 30+ years ago, when Gorky Park came out. I think I may have actually seen the film first, then sought out the book, and been impressed with the author’s style. Here we are, all a few years older and many of us still love reading mysteries, particularly when they are done by a writer as skilled as Martin Cruz Smith.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley, I received an advance copy of Smith’s latest, Independence Square, in exchange for this honest review. The story takes place in 2021, right before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Arkady is dealing with multiple issues at once: his longtime love, Tatiana Petrovna, has left him (although it is unclear if the cause was more her work or a relationship with a reporter), his boss is being a jerk (assigning him to a boring desk job), and he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (which Smith himself has).

Someone asks Arkady to find his daughter, Karina, an anti-Putin activist who has disappeared. In the course of the investigation, well…things happen.

The story gives a look at contemporary Russia and Ukraine, and the whole mess in the region. The inclusion of Smith’s autobiographical story as he relates the situation encountered by a newly-diagnosed Parkinson’s patient is fascinating.

I hope Smith continues the series, as I’m a big fan of political mystery/thrillers. Four enthusiastic stars for this one. Might have been five, but I’m slightly overwhelmed by the world situation, so I didn’t enjoy the story as much as I expected. But I recommend it for fans of Smith, Renko, and mysteries set outside the U.S.

The indignities of age just keep getting heaped upon the shoulders of our hero, the intrepid, incorruptible Russian police detective Arkady Renko. In his professional life, he’s been forced into a pointless desk job by his politically ambitious boss. In his personal life, his longtime lover Tatiana Petrovna has chosen her career as an investigative reporter over their relationship. Now she’s off chasing leads on Russia’s western front, where rumors of war with Ukraine grow stronger by the day.

The last straw comes when he finally goes to see a doctor about the recent incidents he’s been trying to write off as mere byproducts of aging. Dr Pavlova is sympathetic but no-nonsense as she informs him that he has Parkinson’s disease. It’s not a death sentence, but it will affect his quality of life, and he needs to see a specialist about managing his symptoms. Understandably, Arkady needs some time to process the diagnosis:

QUOTE
There were, he supposed, three ways to deal with this new problem: acceptance, confrontation, and denial. Acceptance was not so much a strategy as an aspiration. It would come in its own time, presumably once he’d exhausted every other option. Confrontation was all well and good, but it would elevate the disease to a station more central and important than Arkady wanted it to be. He had heard too many people talking about their battles with disease, as though triumph were simply a matter of moral fiber and determination. The problem with that, while his body was the battlefield, he wasn’t willing to fight.
END QUOTE

So, Arkady decides, denial it is! And nothing helps a man forget his troubles quite like work, even if it’s on a task that isn’t strictly official. A local gangster known as Bronson comes to Arkady with a problem. His adult daughter Karina has gone missing. He offers Arkady money to look into the issue but Arkady, true to form, refuses. Searching for missing people is part of his job description as a police officer anyway, and it’s not like any of the paper he’s pushing in his new desk position is in need of actual attention.

Relieved that Arkady will help, Bronson volunteers what little he knows. Karina is a violinist who had, up until her disappearance, been involved with the anti-government movement Forum For Democracy. He can’t say for certain when exactly she went missing: she’s a grown woman, and one who had become more distant from him – perhaps out of embarrassment at his lifestyle – after the death of her mother. But he hasn’t been able to contact her in weeks, and that worries him.

As Arkady investigates, he discovers that Karina has been AWOL from her beloved string quartet as well, confirming that she probably is in trouble and isn’t just avoiding her dad. Her roommate and second violinist Elena is concerned for her friend but should, perhaps, be more worried for herself. As a Crimean Tatar, Elena is considered ethnically undesirable by the Putin regime. When murder enters the mix, Arkady and Elena follow the trail of clues west to her homeland, even as war looms on the horizon and cunning minds in opposition to our heroes’ seek to eliminate any threats to their master plan.

I have long been meaning to pick up the award-winning Arkady Renko books and am so glad I finally got a chance to do so with this tenth installment in the series. Martin Cruz Smith continues to write with the consummate skill expected of a Mystery Writers of America’s Grand Master, his own diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease notwithstanding. In fact, his experiences lend that much more believability to Arkady’s state of mind as he navigates this case, encountering obstacles both internal and external that he’d never even imagined before.

Believability is, in fact, one of the best things about and themes of this deeply intelligent and of-the-moment mystery novel. While Parkinson’s and political issues prevented Mr Smith from doing his usual extensive research on the ground in Russia and Ukraine, some beliefs prove surprisingly universal, as Arkady discovers when chatting with Alex, a young friend of his son’s who espouses what most people see as a mere conspiracy theory:

QUOTE
“Of course they faked them! Think about it. First satellite in space–Soviet. First dog in space–Soviet. First man, first full twenty-four hours, first woman, first multiple crews, first spacewalk–all Soviet. So how come the Americans suddenly get to the moon first?”

“Because Korolev died, and no one was a genius designer like him.”

“No. Because they faked it. Stanley Kubrick filmed it on a soundstage in the desert.”

“If you say so.”

“It’s all online.” Alex looked triumphant.

There was no disproving what people had convinced themselves was true. How else had the Soviet Union lasted so long?
END QUOTE

Wry, astute and just beautifully executed, this latest Arkady Renko mystery had me gasping with astonishment in the way all good classic mysteries do as the plot unfolded like magic before me. I need to go back and read more books in the series, and am cheering on the author as he continues to put out more excellent work in defiance of the body’s limitations.

Not my favorite of the series

I have read the entire series, but this one just didn't capture my attention and I struggled to finish it. Maybe it was just the nice spring weather that was my problem. I will try it again in the winter, where Russian books seem to make more sense.

Independence Square
By Martin Cruz Smith

I have been a fan of Martin Cruz Smith since I first read "Gorky Park" (Book 1 of the Arkady Renko series). These books are detective mystery novels with a twist – the detective here is Russian, trying to navigate in Russia from the 1980s up to the present time.

This latest novel takes place just prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The power of Putin and his cronies is evident in the many ways Renko is stymied as he tries to solve the related murder cases assigned to him by his vindictive boss.

I really liked this book, but two things about it gave me pause: at 176 pages it is much shorter than previous ones; and the author's introduction of an incurable medical condition for Renko (from which the author himself suffers). These two things together cause me to wonder if the author is signaling that the series is coming to an end. I sincerely hope not!

You're very interesting Book Based On a murder mystery based on russia. A n k a r y Partner ask him to find his daughter named k r I n a. They go through all these different things but it's based on ukraine and the C r I m a n a. They talk about the uprisingly with the group against The president of russian. There's a lot of different scenarios but I thought it was very interesting. How they tied history with this and have people we're getting murdered because of their beliefs. I learned about a e n s who were Forced to leave ukraine during world war two.. Who's up with this woman called b l e n a who's friends with k a r I n a. They started to go to Ukraine through CAR I'm ANE. You'll find out what the title is based on It's square displayed a very important part during World War II. You'll find out the reason behind all this. I like how the murders were solved and why they were. We're we're killed. So Alex was very important Because he was afraid between korea and E l e n a.

A Very Timely Murder Mystery

I read Gorky Park in 1981 or 1982 and was fascinated that a novel was written about a corrupt regime in Moscow from the point of view of an honest cop.

I was anxious to read the author’s recent book “independence Square” and it is not a disappointment.
The main character is again Arkady Renko who is a Russian “investigator”. For anyone who wants to read a current novel about Russia, this book takes places immediately before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Arkady is an investigator but his skills are never really used. He is relegated to a desk job knowing he is neither wanted or needed. The mystery starts when an acquaintance, Fyodor Abakov, who runs protection rackets in Moscow and is a bodybuilder, asks Arkady to find his missing daughter, Karina. She is a violinist in a string quartet and is respected for her talent. However, she is also a member of an anti-Putin organization.

Renko agrees to help. He has nothing else important in his life and now is also suffering from Parkinson’s disease in its early stages. He is somewhat depressed and wonders if his life is worth living.

The book becomes more timely with every chapter. Renko’s acquaintance is killed. He ends up working on two murder cases in addition to the missing person case. There is substantiated fear the government is behind Karina’s disappearance.

As Renko follows the clues, he is led to Independence Square in Kyiv when Russia is on the verge of unleashing an invasion in Ukraine. He also travels to Crimea in search of more clues.

It is a very good read and the disappearance of Karina results in a plausible and distressful outcome.

My gratitude to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this pre-published book. All opinions expressed are my own.

There are two outright very smart feats that Mr. Smith has achieved with his latest, "Independence Square".

Mr. Smith has achieved a marvelous thing, by melding his own personal experiences with those of his fictional Russian investigator, Arkady Renko, despite having little-to-none in common. He has transplanted his own trials and tribulations of suffering from Parkinson's for years, and has added a(nother!) melancholic tone to the investigations that Renko is usually called to discharge.

The second gem Mr. Smith achieves is to overlay this story with the real-world invasion of Ukraine. The invasion has been surprising and bewildering, all the more so because for a long time, no one really believed Russia would choose to invade Ukraine in the middle of a real, global pandemic that had taken millions of lives by Feb 2022, when the invasion began. But he did, and here we are... fifteen months in, with no real end in sight.

In all fairness, the story is NOT about the invasion, nor is it even at the same time, but choosing to involve Ukraine in one his investigations in the days and weeks leading up to the invasion - that we as readers know was coming at that time - leads to a superlative end-result that complicates everything manifold, and gives Mr. Smith an opportunity to paint in rather precise strokes by invoking centuries-old regional rivalries between Tartars and Soviets, before they were Russians, predating the second WW. He shows a side of all this that shows how some of this may have been in the making for decades and centuries, and Renko and many others around him are literally just caught in the current and are being carried down to an eventual denouement that is not going to be of his making or choice.

The actual investigation is sort of an undertone, and ultimately this is less of a mystery than a true thriller. There are numerous characters, that each are complex and disparate, and yet even when they are not disparate enough, the story shows them in enough shades of grey that makes for a compelling narrative, one that very quickly devolves into a tailspin of frenzied climax.

In all this, the pithy and concise writing makes this a quick and easy read, that still leaves one feeling for Renko. His moments of vulnerability - when Parkinson's rears its head - are few but sufficiently poignant and well-timed. He doesn't ever seem to be overwhelmed by it, but it is beginning to become debilitating at the worst possible times. It is also clear he is still accepting the fact that he has no control on how his body is going to react to this ever-decaying, terminal and incurable disease.

All in all, a superlative novel, that satisfies and makes one wonder if this is laying the groundwork for an explosive conclusion to the Renko saga.

The Ukraine is featured in this story of murder and politics. I enjoy the characters throughout the series and Renko's complicated love life. This is probably the most compelling part of the story, Renko and his personal life. Some twists and turns to the mystery. A good entry in a consistent series.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Russia, mystery, thriller, fiction, Ukraine, murder, investigators, investigation, invasion, romantic, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, 2021, politics, assassins, journalist, escort-service, double-agent, double-cross, witty, subtle-humor, sly-humor, dolphins, FSB, unputdownable, Tatars, Crimea*****

Despite the protestations in the disclaimer, the more distant historical information checks out.
This excellent novel is timely in its presentation as well as in its investigations, escapes, and information about the early insidiousness of Parkinson's disease. The twists are diabolical, the red herrings inventive, and the characters so very human. The visualizations are so clear that is easy to imagine places and things that I've never seen before. The book really grabbed me by the imagination and held on until I finished the book!
I requested and received an eGalley from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley. Thank you!

Admittedly, I’ve enjoyed every book in Martin Cruz Smith’s history of Russian inspector Arkady Renko – and this is no exception. I gave it the following SCORE:
Setting: Nearly current day Moscow, Ukraine, and Sevastopol
Characters: The redoubtable Arkady Renko, his colleagues for better or worse, an unusual cast of villains, not-quite-villains, questionable villains, and a new girlfriend
Overview: Arkady is more down-trodden than usual – continued back relations with an underachieving boss, former girlfriend Tatiana has left for a job as a reporter with the NYTimes, and, in a reflection of the author, has discovered early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Nonetheless, he has a quest to find the daughter of a friend who has mysteriously disappeared and the hunt will take him in many directions.
Recommendation: I rate this book 4 stars – a little different than previous stories in this series but just as enjoyable.
Extras: This story takes place before the actual invasion of Ukraine but the tension and inevitability is there. Politics and the current-day situation in Russia is looked-at from a thought-provoking angle. With Arkady slowing down and aging appropriately, I certainly hope there will still be more stories from Martin Cruz Smith. (Note: what I would really like is a sequel to my all-time favorite MCS’ book, “Rose.”)
In summary, don’t wait – go read this book.
Thanx to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster books for the opportunity to provide this unbiased review.

While Independence Square isn’t the best book in the Arkady Renko series, I certainly hope it will not be the detective’s last outing. Combining this iconic character with the timely plot makes for a compelling setup—but there’s too little investigating and too much social commentary. The climax was great, but the (potentially horrifying) conclusion felt rushed. Still, I was happy to be back in Arkady’s world for a while.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

It is hard to believe that Independence Square is the 10th Arkady Renko novel. Faithful (and new) readers of the series will enjoy this title that Publishers Weekly has given a well deserved star review. It is described by the publication as “stellar;” what more could a reader hope for?

Given the current state of the world, it is interesting to read a book that is set in Ukraine and to be there with Arkady. He is a good companion.

When the story opens, Arkady is, I think, a bit bored. Finally, something interesting comes along when he is asked to locate musician Karina. She is the daughter of a body builder who is a man doing some unsavory work. Karina, herself, is anti-Putin; what could be more dangerous?

The case takes Arkady to the Crimea and Ukraine. What will he find there? Will Karina be alive? And, how will Arkady cope as he faces a medical diagnosis? Oh, and some complications in his relationship too.

Note that Smith has been writing about Russia for quite a while. He knows whereof he speaks. He also has intimate knowledge of Arkady’s medical condition and writes movingly about this.

Those who enjoy spy fiction, good writing and good stories will want to pick up this title. Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this title. All opinions are my own.

This is a timely thriller about Russia just prior to the invasion of Ukraine. Arkady may work for the Russian government, but he is committed to finding out the truth about a woman's disappearance and at least three subsequent murders. His investigation leads him first to Kyiv and then to Crimea, alongside people protesting Putin's policies. Readers will get a glimpse into the justified paranoia of Putin's Russia, the difficulty of trusting alliances, and the dangers of speaking out, while at the same time daily life for most Russians carries on as normal. Arkady's diagnosis with Parkinsons Disease, which mirrors the author's own, adds interest and depth to his character. The ending seemed a bit abrupt to me, and I would have appreciated more of an epilogue.

Having been a fan of the Arkady Renko series since the eighties and during that era's modern forensic heyday. I look forward to each new book as a chapter in the ongoing saga of the much put upon Chief Inspector with a little science thrown in for good measure. I was very surprised that there was a new book out and was scrambling to find my libraries ARC only to find out that I had just missed someone grabbing it off the shelf in a wholly out of the way corner of our book selectors. I turned to Net Galley and was surprised to learn of all the new improvements such as a read aloud option and that they now had their own app!

Although my reading interests have changed over the years, I am still a big fan of the characters in the book and feel like this story is laying the foundations for another more complex book, hopefully another Gorky Park. Who knows? I would be happy with another chapter in the life of our Russian friend, but with so much going on in the Ukraine and in Russian politics Arkady could keep going on forever and Martin Cruz Smith could explore a World War 3 take on the plot that would be another cultural marker.

I recommend this book for old fans of the series. The plot is as always clever and leaves the reader wanting more. New readers to the series would miss some of the backstory with its many varied changes in scenery but could look for the rest of the series to fill in the blanks. After all these years the only constant that we can expect for our hero is to somehow survive whatever turmoil takes place, like a stolid Russian flavored Robert Ludlum spy, Arkady lives to see another day despite the odds against him.

Through these books we can travel through inaccessible lands and face military trained dolphins. We solve intricate plots with well-honed skills, and we are shown personalities and characters from the safe distance of a keen investigator’s eye that are not always fully developed except where necessary to advance the plot, but that's alright since we are viewing the world through the oculus of an onion shaped dome.