Citadels of Fire

Kremlins, Book 1

By: K.L. Conger

Narrated by: Cathy Burnham Martin

Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

In a world where danger hides in plain sight and no one aspires to more than what they were born to, Inga must find the courage to break the oppressive chains she's been bound with since birth.

Even as a maid in the infamous Kremlin, life in 16th-century Russia is bleak and treacherous. That is, until Taras arrives. Convinced that his mother's death when he was a boy was no mere accident, he returned from England to discover what really happened. While there, he gains favor from the Tsar later known as Ivan the Terrible, the most brutal and notorious ruler ever to sit upon the throne of Russia.

Up against the social confines of the time, the shadowy conspiracies that cloak their history, and the sexual politics of the Russian Imperial court, Inga and Taras must discover their past, plan for their future and survive the brutality that permeates life within the four walls that tower over them all, or they may end up like so many citizens of ancient Russia: nothing but flesh and bone mortar for the stones of the Kremlin wall.

©2014 Liesel Hill (P)2018 Liesel Hill

terrific story

Great book! I was pleasantly surprised I don't normally read historical fiction. This was a page turner, I can't wait to listen the the next book in the series.

At first it take too long than suddenly it's done

I love history; and Russia as well as China have always held a certain fascination for me. So don't say I didn't warn you about the history. You will not only get a history lesson but you will also be treated to music and sound effects (that was a surprising first for me). Also just to keep yoy coming back for more the author decided to weave a little extra mystery within the text of the book, than you are left hanging without the solution to the mystery.

Very enjoyable

I enjoyed this book a lot. I wanted so many times to ask my coworker that grew up in Russia about what they had been taught of this history while growing up. I find everyone has their own interpretation of things, and am very curious what the Russian government’s interpretation is for this time period. I loved learning about some of the customs. I found myself researching some more about this time frame because it piqued my interest so much. The story and interaction between characters is wonderful. The narrator did a good job, although I did notice some inconsistencies in the way she pronounced a few names (this was very minor and did not cause any confusion as to what character was being referred to). I admire they way the author was able to make such realistic characters and show their feelings, strengths, and weaknesses. I want more.

Read this instead

I received a free review copy of the audio version of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a difficult book to rate, because it is an excellent book, but it was presented in a very unfortunate way in audio format, and I struggled between three and four stars. As a written work, this would receive five stars from me. The book is interrupted throughout with needless sound effects, and every time there is a chapter break, or scene change, you have to wait for a musical interlude before the story continues. This really disrupts the flow of the story, and makes it harder to keep the listeners interest. It irritated me immensely. I would highly recommend reading this book. I would not recommend listening to it.

Great listen

An interesting book to be sure, so I will give it four stars. The added romance line to this book was a bonus. The only part that made it hard to listen to the audiobook is the music in between scene changes. It took me right out of the book and though I think it was put in to make it unique and give the listener an idea of a change coming, it took me right out of the story each time.

A Russian historical fantasy

This was entertaining enough but there was a stretch that I felt was a bit slow paced. I loved the characters. I’m not sure if all the circumstances that they get into would have really happened but I am not an expert in Russian history so things are possible. I was very fascinated about the fire. I would recommend this book.

Amazing read

Incredible, epic read. 368 pages & over 13 hours of reading/listening but seems longer as it is so detailed & entertaining. I have to go into book 2 next!

a rare view of medical Russia brought to life

there are few few stories about the times and life of Ivan the terrible. Here is a story accurately set in the world of this man who unified Russia. The history is well researched and the character although many fictional provide a view of what life of the riches and poorest people was like in Russia in these times. But this not a dry historian saga but an audio book that comes alike with action, adventure, well developed characters and excitement. A wonderful listen.

Very informative

I’m not sure how to review this book. I liked the story a lot and I thought the narrator read the story well, but it was hard for me to get past the sound effects. Sometimes they were jarring or comical to hear. I didn’t feel like they helped the story at all- I don’t need to hear a laugh or scream when the narrator says they screamed or laughed. It seemed like I was listening to a child’s read along book. The narrator did a great job with the voices and the accents I just hated the sound effects. It was a book that took me forever to get through because of it. I prefer to use my own imagination for that stuff. I loved all the historical information about Russia and the people who lived there I just wish I had read the book instead of listening to it.

Inga will draw you in...

I love this book! The author brings the characters to life before your eyes. Inga's story draws you in. She is a servant in the Kremlin. Viewing the royal court from Inga's servant perspective adds to the intrigue. The more you read, the more you love her. I can't wait to read the next book to find out what happens to her next.

My favorite part of the book is the Russian setting. It is a setting that I am not familiar with, but I know it is a real place. After reading this book, I feel like I know it better. I would love to go there someday. I am from the American South. I cannot even imagine living in such a cold place. Just think of all of the colorful characters that were born there!

The pacing of the story is perfect. I choose to read this because I needed a mental break from the fast-paced action books I obsess over. This series is just what I was looking for! It is character-driven rather than action-driven. I love taking a deep dive into the main characters and watching their layers peel away as the story develops.

The scene that stuck with me the most took place when the city of Moscow was burning. A group of orphaned children is stuck in a burning church, and no one can save them. Rather than leave them to continue fighting the fire. The men stop and stand with respect "to be with the children" as they suffer. Once the cries stop, the men move on. This scene is chilling, heartbreaking, and touching.

I would have shortened the musical interlude between chapters and the advertising at the end of the book. There were two small production errors in the book. One was a repeated name in chapter 19, and the second was an incorrect word later in the book. Neither of these would stop me from listening to this book again. The narrator did an amazing job with the Russian accents!

I would be fascinated to hear a discussion by the author on her research into Russia and the changes that she made to the timeline. This book oozes with authenticity. I would love to know her thoughts on what she learned, changed, and left out of the book.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who likes clean historical romance with a healthy dose of political intrigue.