"The importance of Boris Savinkov and his controversial role in the Russian Revolution and Civil War have been overlooked recently, but this excellent and well-written biography by Vladimir Alexandrov should do much to reawaken interest in his extraordinary life."

Sir Antony Beevor, best-selling and prize-winning military historian, author of Stalingrad and The Fall of Berlin 1945
 

"The extraordinary life of Boris Savinkov—revolutionary assassin, self-described terrorist, and novelist—is one of those historical enigmas peculiar to the tragedy of modern Russia. But in the hands of this masterful biographer, Savinkov is resurrected. Vladimir Alexandrov expertly mines the archives to write a spy story filled with intrigue, passion and improbable adventures—and along the way we learn a great deal of history. A formidable achievement."

Kai Bird, Director of the Leon Levy Center for Biography, co-author of Pulitzer Prize winning American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.

​

“Boris Savinkov was one of the most colourful, notorious and enigmatic figures in revolutionary Russia – a flamboyant hero to some, an untrustworthy villain to others. Extraordinarily influential in his lifetime – and still a legendary figure in Russia – this complex individual has been all-but forgotten in the West. Vladimir Alexandrov’s superb biography provides a page-turning account of Savinkov’s roller-coaster life, as well as throwing valuable new light on the history of the Russian state.”

Giles Milton, best-selling historian, author of Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and Checkmate in Berlin