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abeanbg's review
4.0
More of a 3.5 star book. Lots of fairly gripping adventures in the bloody aftermath of the Russian Revolution. All done with a light touch and an already very outdated perspective, but what other book has related that Enver Pasha died trying to lead a Muslim uprising against the Red Army? None that I've read.
madcynic's review against another edition
3.0
An odd book. It describes very little of what the title implies - what the Soviets did to spread Communism to Asia. Most of the pages are spent telling stories of the anti-Red effort to prevent the spread. Interesting, surely, but should have had a different title.
nnikif's review
4.0
Довольно местами увлекательно, но слишком сильно опирается на отдельные мемуары, так что освещение разных тем несоразмерно и не создает понятной общей картины.
Автор любит заклинательно повторять выражение "Большая Игра", но это не столько придает рассказу солидность, сколько делает его отчасти комичным.
Некоторые сюжеты не мог бы придумать и Серджио Леоне.
Автор любит заклинательно повторять выражение "Большая Игра", но это не столько придает рассказу солидность, сколько делает его отчасти комичным.
Некоторые сюжеты не мог бы придумать и Серджио Леоне.
zare_i's review
5.0
This is a very interesting book about a geographical area that was and still is sort of a powderkeg best left alone. Of course, as current politics shows us that cannot happen due to the area's strategic position. World powers keep stirring up mayhem in this highly unstable area.
Although focus is on attempts of Bolsheviks to bring the revolution to the East - East being nearest to the what was then Tsarist Russia taken by Bolsheviks - Hopkirk draws a very vivid picture of Bolsheviks, Tsarist Whites, British, China, Afghanistan and other forces - local or international fighting to keep their foothold in the area during the 1910-1920's periods and not holding up in any way - massacres of thousands are common thing and it seems that power cannot be obtained or retaken without enormous price in human life.
Highly recommended, writers style is excellent and you wont be able to put down the book until you get to the very last page.
Although focus is on attempts of Bolsheviks to bring the revolution to the East - East being nearest to the what was then Tsarist Russia taken by Bolsheviks - Hopkirk draws a very vivid picture of Bolsheviks, Tsarist Whites, British, China, Afghanistan and other forces - local or international fighting to keep their foothold in the area during the 1910-1920's periods and not holding up in any way - massacres of thousands are common thing and it seems that power cannot be obtained or retaken without enormous price in human life.
Highly recommended, writers style is excellent and you wont be able to put down the book until you get to the very last page.
mirsa's review
4.0
Intrigue, danger, heroes, madmen, and death - all part of a fascinating history of a little-known political (and often violent) war between the Soviet Union and Britain over Central Asia. Thoroughly enjoyable, like a cross between a historical documentary and Indiana Jones.
thissidedownisup's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Absolutely amazing history book, want to read all the books by this author
booktwitcher23's review against another edition
4.0
A very interesting read about the last knockings of the Great Game whereby Russia tried to wrest India from Britain.
oliainchina's review against another edition
3.0
Acceptably answers the question - What was going on in Central Asia while Russia and China were busy with revolutions, as well as civil and world wars. As always with Hopkirk - the history is written in vivid portraits of spies, warlords, agents, ragtags and gentlemen.