Matthew 14:6

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Matthew 24:6 KJV

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Book Review: FROM THE ASHES by Marion Kummerow






















The following is an introduction to a new book,
From the Ashes 
by Marion Kummerow 


About From the Ashes (Berlin Fractured Book 1)

From the bestselling author of the 'War Girls Series' comes a nail-biting story about Berlin sliding into the Cold War.
The Third Reich has crumbled and Berlin is governed by the four victorious Allies.
Werner Böhm, a German émigré to Moscow, returns to his hometown with the highest hopes for a better future.
Sent by the communist party to bring freedom, wealth and happiness to the German people, he’s soon caught in a moral conflict between loyalty to his party and his ideals.
When the woman he loves is in danger, can he take the plunge and defy the party line to save her life?
Inspired by true historical events, From the Ashes is the unforgettable story of a tortured man, torn between his ideals, the iron fist of Stalinism and the woman he loves.

Excerpt:


          “In the past weeks we have taken control of the city,” General Sokolov said.

          “And you have done this well,” Gentner answered.

          Sokolov sent him a dark stare that clearly indicated he did not appreciate interruptions, not even when they were meant to bootlick.
         
          Werner had difficulties containing the tiny smirk threatening to appear on the corner of his mouth. Apparently, Norbert hadn't studied his new superior well enough. He caught himself at the thought and felt a twinge of remorse. It wasn't the wisest course of action to feel superior to his boss. Norbert might not be the iconic superman everyone touted him as, but he still held Werner's political fate in his hands. His best move would be to fully and completely side with his boss and back him up at every occasion.


          Sokolov continued his illustration, tracing the map with a sharp pointer. "The police headquarters, the newspaper, the city hall, the municipal authority called the Magistrat, and the university are all in our sector, as you can see. And this is no accident."

          Werner nodded. A well-thought-out plan.

          “Furthermore, we control the surroundings of Berlin including railway routes, streets and waterways. We also have the sole functioning power station in our sector. If the Americans arrive in Berlin...”

          He said if, not when, Werner thought. Stalin had meticulously planned ahead for a time after Hitler's downfall. Being the first ones to reach Berlin had been the key piece for all the others to fall into place. Swiftly installing communist in every position of the future city administration -- which was the task of Gentner's group -- would ensure the Western imperialists wouldn't get a foothold in the German capital.

          It was a brilliant maneuver and once again Warner had to admit that the Great Old Man Stalin truly was a genius. He was up to every trick and always one step ahead of the rest of the world. That was one reason why everyone loved, admired, but also feared him.


My Book Review:


In From the Ashes, Marion Kummerow tells an excellent story including a star-crossed romance. I thoroughly enjoyed all her characters, even those who behaved atrociously. The plot kept the suspense and tension level high.

I found that the historical context of this book filled in a lot of gaps in my understanding of what happened after the end of the second world war. My father fought in the tail-end of World War II, but by the time I became aware of any of the history of this era, Germany was divided into four segments governed by the four allied powers that won the war. Likewise, Berlin was also divided in four sectors, and the Berlin Wall separated the Soviet-controlled sector from the other three under the jurisdiction of the United States, Britain, and France. Although these administrative divisions were agreed to before the war ended, it is interesting to me to learn more of how the agreement for the post-war recovery of both Germany and the victorious nations worked in actuality during the first two years of implementation versus what was originally planned.

Since they were allies of the other three nations, why did the Soviets conduct themselves the way they did? Why did the leaders of the other three sectors not take more assertive action than they did? What did all this mean for the German people? Are the incidences in the book embellished or based on fact? The answers are in the book.

Anyone who enjoys reading wartime fiction should enjoy this book. World War Two may have been officially over, but it was not over. I highly recommend this book.

You may purchase From the Ashes from Amazon by






About the Author:

Marion Kummerow was born and raised in Germany, before she set out to "discover the world" and lived in various countries. In 1999 she returned to Germany and settled down in Munich where she's now living with her family. She has written about her German ancestors who resisted the growth and influence of the Nazi party and paid for it with their lives.

Visit her blog at kummerow.info or her facebook page at facebook.com/autorinkummerow

 

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