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lynguy1's review against another edition
5.0
THE RUSSIAN CAGE by Charlaine Harris brings intrigue, romance, danger, suspense and much more to a well-written and entertaining novel that is a mix of historical fiction, urban fantasy western and alternate history. It is the third book in the Gunnie (Lizbeth) Rose series and is largely set in San Diego which is now part of the Holy Russian Empire (HRE).
This novel picks up soon after book two ends with Lizbeth reading a letter from her half-sister Felicia. There are hints that Lizbeth’s estranged partner, Eli Savarov, needs her help. Lizbeth packs her guns and knives and takes a train to what was once California. Will Lizbeth be able to save Eli? How is Felicia doing in school in a world so different to her native land? How can a gunnie from Texoma (used to be Texas and Oklahoma) fit in when she gets to the HRE? Who can she trust to help her? How will she get along with Eli’s mother and sisters? How is a gunnie supposed to help Eli when she can’t carry her guns in the HRE?
Charlaine Harris is one of my favorite authors and she did not let me down with this addition to the series. The characters are compelling, led by strong and capable protagonist, Lizbeth. Her lack of patience and unfamiliarity with Russian court protocol made her feel more real. Her motivations are believable and well-drawn and the secondary characters were well-rounded and enhanced the story. The reoccurring characters gained in depth in this book and helped sustain the complexity of this story line.
The plot twists were believable but a few were unexpected. The story moved at an appropriate pace and the scenes were well described and gave me a clear sense of place. With this fantastic world-building and the cultural elements, it helped this reader feel as though she were a part of the action. I also liked that there was both some humor and new challenges for Lizbeth to overcome personally.
Overall, this novel brings thrills, action, family drama, political intrigue, magic, loyalty, power and much more making it a definite page-turner. Is it the last or will there be a book four?
If you like alternate history, action adventure, thrillers and fantasy, then this series is for you. I recommend reading the books I order. The first novel explains the alternative history aspect that is not fully explained in books two and three. Additionally, both earlier books show the growth of relationships for some of the secondary characters as well as for Lizbeth and Eli.
Thanks to Gallery Books – Saga Press and Charlaine Harris for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for February 23, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
This novel picks up soon after book two ends with Lizbeth reading a letter from her half-sister Felicia. There are hints that Lizbeth’s estranged partner, Eli Savarov, needs her help. Lizbeth packs her guns and knives and takes a train to what was once California. Will Lizbeth be able to save Eli? How is Felicia doing in school in a world so different to her native land? How can a gunnie from Texoma (used to be Texas and Oklahoma) fit in when she gets to the HRE? Who can she trust to help her? How will she get along with Eli’s mother and sisters? How is a gunnie supposed to help Eli when she can’t carry her guns in the HRE?
Charlaine Harris is one of my favorite authors and she did not let me down with this addition to the series. The characters are compelling, led by strong and capable protagonist, Lizbeth. Her lack of patience and unfamiliarity with Russian court protocol made her feel more real. Her motivations are believable and well-drawn and the secondary characters were well-rounded and enhanced the story. The reoccurring characters gained in depth in this book and helped sustain the complexity of this story line.
The plot twists were believable but a few were unexpected. The story moved at an appropriate pace and the scenes were well described and gave me a clear sense of place. With this fantastic world-building and the cultural elements, it helped this reader feel as though she were a part of the action. I also liked that there was both some humor and new challenges for Lizbeth to overcome personally.
Overall, this novel brings thrills, action, family drama, political intrigue, magic, loyalty, power and much more making it a definite page-turner. Is it the last or will there be a book four?
If you like alternate history, action adventure, thrillers and fantasy, then this series is for you. I recommend reading the books I order. The first novel explains the alternative history aspect that is not fully explained in books two and three. Additionally, both earlier books show the growth of relationships for some of the secondary characters as well as for Lizbeth and Eli.
Thanks to Gallery Books – Saga Press and Charlaine Harris for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for February 23, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
suvata's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for sending me this Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is February 23, 2021.
This is the third book in Harris’ Gunnie Rose series. After reading this, I really wish I had read the first two installments. I will go back and read them because I enjoyed this one so much. The series follows girl named Lizbeth (Gunnie) Rose. In this future history novel, America has been divided into five distinct areas: The Holy Russian Empire, New America, Texoma, Dixie, and Brittania. Gunnie tries rescue her partner, Prince Eli, from The Holy Russian Empire where he is imprisoned having been accused of murder. Bonus: There’s magic involved!
This is the third book in Harris’ Gunnie Rose series. After reading this, I really wish I had read the first two installments. I will go back and read them because I enjoyed this one so much. The series follows girl named Lizbeth (Gunnie) Rose. In this future history novel, America has been divided into five distinct areas: The Holy Russian Empire, New America, Texoma, Dixie, and Brittania. Gunnie tries rescue her partner, Prince Eli, from The Holy Russian Empire where he is imprisoned having been accused of murder. Bonus: There’s magic involved!
fulper's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
looloolibby's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
wwh9x's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
klanca's review against another edition
2.0
I got this book at the public library as a "surprise" read - it was wrapped in Christmas paper and marked as a "thriller." First, I would not call this a thriller. Second, it was the third in a series so I didn't know the characters at first or fully understand what was happening. I might have liked it better if I had read the first two but I still doubt it.
kleonard's review against another edition
5.0
Charlaine Harris never fails to delight me. In this novel, the third to feature gunslinger-for-hire Lizbeth Rose, Lizbeth heads to the Holy Russian Empire--San Diego, to be precise--to spring her lover Eli Savarov from jail. But the job is complicated by politics, families, magic, and the fact that Lizbeth can't legally carry guns in the Empire. I loved the development of returning characters, particularly Lizbeth's sister Felicia, and the wonderful new characters who inhabit this book, Eli's mother and sisters especially. Lizbeth's voice is honest and plain and Harris's storytelling is gold. Readers will probably want to read the previous two novels featuring Lizbeth before this one, as it relies pretty heavily on the events of the earlier books, but I do think it can stand alone as long as readers are willing to enjoy the ride and look into Lizbeth and Eli's past adventures later.
truthwatcher's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ninjaterri's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0