Review: Birth of an Assassin

Birth of an Assassin
by Rik Stone

Synopsis

Set against the backdrop of Soviet, post-war Russia, Birth of an Assassin follows the transformation of Jez Kornfeld from wide-eyed recruit to avenging outlaw. Amidst a murky underworld of flesh-trafficking, prostitution and institutionalized corruption, the elite Jewish soldier is thrown into a world where nothing is what it seems, nobody can be trusted, and everything can be violently torn from him.

Given the order to disperse and arrest a crowd of Jewish demonstrators in Red Square, Jez breaks up the rally but discovers his sisters in their ranks. Rushed for a solution, he sneaks the girls from under the noses of secret police and hides them in downtown Moscow. But he knows they will no longer be safe in Russia. He has to find them a safe route out. 


The journey begins, but he is unaware that his every move is being observed and that he has set in motion a chain of events that will plunge his life into a headlong battle to stay alive.

Review

I've become a sucker for a good assassin story - especially one that is as detailed as this one. Although I have a fondness for history, I pretty much suck at any reference toward any part of history. This is what made this book stand out because I didn't need to remember bits and pieces of history in order to make the story work. That is how detailed Birth of an Assassin is. 

Jez is quite a dynamic character which helps in the whirlwind of events in his life. The reader cares about it's character and is right alongside him with every action packed moment. The book is all about his sacrifices, choices and consequences which is what makes the story such a non-stop-read, but what also makes Jez a character and not just a character - if you know what I mean. It is truly a story that should be experienced and not just "blurbed" about. 

Verdict

Fans of history and action-packed stories will love this one. Let yourself be caught up in it. I'm glad I did.