The Russian Revolution and subsequent civil war have received a lot of attention in recent years, including an authoritative volume by the doyen of British military historians, Anthony Beevor. To some extent this might be attributable to centennial echoes and certainly events in Ukraine – the crucible of the civil war – has attracted public and specialist interest. For Beevor, it’s all about the heroic scale of Russian physical geography and historical tragedy. Alastair Grant in his Royal Marines in Russia 1919 weaves a more intimate tale, not least because it recounts the improbable adventures of his grandfather, Captain (later Major General) Tom Jameson, from Russia’s Pacific coast to its European river system. It’s a familial story in two senses in that not only does it connect a bloodline but also a regimental family, as both Grant and Jameson served as Royal Marines. Grant sets an historical context but his achievement lies in recounting the detail - some mundane, some terrifying.. Read more
Rob Fry

I'll be honest, most of my knowledge about this history in this geographical area comes from watching Showtime's The Borgias. Not a bad show, but not always accurate. But, I enjoyed reading this because I was familiar with the events through the show, although things were obviously different and smashed together. So, this was a very quick, enjoyable read. I found it interesting and I appreciated how Romane took me as a reader through the events. It never felt overwhelming and I was able to track a lot of it, from the chronology to the main players and how they changed as people died and fortunes shifted. Very good book on the topic!
NetGalley, Caidyn Young