Product Description

Two new adventures for Boris Akunin's well-loved, inimitable hero in which Erast Fandorin faces two very different adversaries: one, a deft, comedic swindler and master of disguise, whose machinations send ripples spreading through the carefully maintained calm of Moscow in 1886, and the other a brutal serial killer, driven by an insane, maniacal obsession, who strikes terror into the heart of the Moscow slums in 1889 - and who may have more in common with London's own Jack the Ripper than simply a taste for women of easy virtue. Peopled by a cast of eccentric characters, and with plots that are as surprising as they are inventive, Fandorin's 'Special Assignments' will delight Akunin's many thousands of fans, while testing their gentleman sleuth's powers of detection to the limit.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #118604 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

Omer Ali, TIME OUT (10-17 January)
'a double treat for fans.'

Review
'Intricate, incredible, pleasurable.' (Jessica Mann LITERARY REVIEW )

'Fandorin is a delightful creation - a quirky gentleman sleuth who cuts an impeccably groomed dash through the courts and political intrigues of 19th century Russia...With an eccentric cast of supporting characters and a fleeting romance, Akunin's whodunit formula is irresistible.' (EASY LIVING (February) )

'a double treat for fans.' (Omer Ali TIME OUT (10-17 January) )

'Akunin brilliantly ratchets up the tension...and Fandorin's unveiling of the clues will keep you enthralled.' (Richard Mead FQ (January/February) )

'an excellent read.' (Laura Wilson GUARDIAN (13.1.07) )

'This...demonstrates Akunin's underlying seriousness of purpose in writing the Fandorin novels, whose clever devices and mischievous tricks disguise a determination to strip bare the extremes of human behaviour.' (Joan Smith SUNDAY TIMES (14.1.07) )

'The perfect Sunday afternoon read.' (Kath Murphy SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY (21.1.07) )

'ingenious and craftily plotted exploits.' (GOOD BOOK GUIDE (February) )

'this elegantly written book is fast-moving, witty and compulsively readable...The story packs a surprisingly powerful emotional punch, proving there's more to Akunin than jolly pastiche. Highly recommended.' (GLOSS MAGAZINE (March 2007) )

'Whether in skittish or sombre mood, Akunin is immensely readable (and excellently translated by Andrew Bromfield); the beguiling, super-brainy, sexy, unpredictable Fandorin is a creation like no other in crime fiction.' (Marcel Berlins TIMES (10.2.07) )

'Fandorin [is] a debonair combo of Sherlock Holmes, D'Artagnan and most of the soulful heroes of Russian literature...Andrew Bromfield's translation is key to maintaining the entertaining period pastiche...Fandorin is very much a figure from the time of his creation: an all-knowing yet taciturn functionary with a past in espionage and a love of Japanese martial arts working in a Russia beset by internal division.' (Roger Perkins SUNDAY TELEGRAPH (19.2.07) )

Laura Wilson, GUARDIAN (13.1.07)
'an excellent read.'

Customer Reviews

A misstep in an excellent series
Boris Akunin's 'Erast Fandorin' sries are amongst my few must-buy reads. Akunin is a tremendous writer who has managed to create an extremely interesting and likable character in Fandorin, the Russian State Investigator. Special Assignments sticks to the formula of the previous books in the series by writing the story from the point of view of a minor character - in this case, Fandorin's new secretary, Tulipov. By keeping the stories to reportage, Fandorin's methods are kept mysterious but not inaccessible and he makes enough mistakes in his investigations that he retains his likable humanity.
There are two short novellas in this book. The first - The Jack of Spades - introduces a fearless theif who plagues Moscow's high society with a string of audacious crimes and it is a highly enjoyable romp. The second is where Akunin makes his error.
There seems to come a time in the career of any writer of period fiction when they suddenly feel compelled to introduce Jack the Ripper as an antagonist to their hero. It's a compulsion which should be fought, as the mention of one of the most over-used plot devices in fiction just makes me slap my hand to my face and mutter 'Oh, no, not again.'. Here the ripper makes his way from London to Moscow in order to taunt Fandorin and, well, you just wish that he hadn't. It's a great, well written and surprisingly sad story which loses a lot of it's punch by the inclusion of the Ripper. It doesn't need him, he detracts from the suspension of disbelief and enjoyment of the narrative, and he should't be there.
So - five stars (as usual) for the writing, but docked a full star for the includion of one of the biggest cliches possible in writing. 4/5.

Brilliant entertainment - 'That is two'!
In general, I'm not keen on novellas, but prefer full-length novels that you can get your literary teeth into. But the originality of Boris Akunin is such that this unpromising format works brilliantly here.

I wouldn't dream of revealing the plots of the two very different stories told here ('The Jack of Spades' and 'The Decorator'), but both are beautifully crafted and superbly written. If you've liked the previous Erast Fandorin stories - and I can't imagine that anyone wouldn't - then you're in for a treat here. As Fandorin himself would say, 'That is two'!

I just didn't want it to end
Although this consists of two shorter books, The Jack fo Spade and The Decorator, the two stories follow the introduction of the Tulipov character who blossoms as a character over the two stories rather like Fandorin does in The Winter Queen. Akunin has the knack of quickly sketching whole rounded characters whilst still keeping the narrative flowing and the reader on the edge of his/her seat.

The Jack of Spades is a slightly more light hearted battle of wits between Fandorin and the eponymous swindler. It manages the neat trick of turning the readers sympathies around in the middle of the story.

The Decorator is a much darker affair and whilst the previous stroy has pace and a satisfying conclusion, its greater function in this context is as a prelude to this second story. A serial killer stalks Moscow and Fandorin along with his young pupil Tulipov are out to catch him/her(?)

This is crime writing at its very best, what anyone could be wanting more than this from a crime novel is beyond me. This pairing of books is almost perfect.