Together with Outlander, The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons, is my all time favorite series. It has romance, intrigue and suspense, not to mention a handsome, 6' 2" warrior hero in the person of Alexander Barrington Belov and a fearless heroine, Tatiana Metanova, both of whom fall in love with one another at first sight. The love story is set during WWII in Leningrad and teaches you as much about Russian history as it does about the sacrifices of pure love.

Has anyone else enjoyed the TBH as much as I have? What are some of your favorite scenes from the books?

Don't even get me started on this trilogy. I really love these characters because their story is so believable that you rarely think that it's fiction. Alexander grows up in Russia by his wits after his parents emigrate there during the McCarthy years. After being used for propaganda, they are imprisoned and Alexander escapes and assumes an identity which eventually leads him to military service (like all Russians his age). Constantly trying to find an escape behind the iron curtain, he meets Tatiana who loves fiercely, totally loyal, and fearless in protecting those she loves. The first book is heartbreaking as they each make decisions to save each other, putting themselves at risk.

The 2nd book, Tatiana and Alexander, was a roller coaster as Tatiana goes behind enemy lines to rescue Alexander (Ok that was a little over the top but nothing like Claire fighting off wolves, etc.).

But it's the 3rd book, Summer Garden, where you get to know them warts and all as they try to settle in together after all of this tragedy. Alexander's trying to find a job, Tatiana is still distrustful of anyone connected to the government and worries needlessly. And really it's seeing them get to know each other and all of their faults. Alexander is more comfortable around military/macho guys, Tatiana around hospital/caring sorts, and the 2 worlds collide. Alexander is truly the baddest boy of all. In the mix is the family they create and the effect of their lives on them.

I've said it before, but the trilogy ending is my all time favorite and such a reward after reading like 3000 pages of their lives. Just wonderful!

I haven't read this yet, but it's on my list because it's been highly recommended to me by a few different people (including here). Right now, I'm drowning in material, but I'm trying to find time to fit this in.

Audiobooklover, you will not be disappointed. I couldn't find an unabridged version of TBH and ended up getting an abridged copy. Even so, listening to this book left me breathless.

As Pauline said, Alexander is the baddest of the bad, but he always does what is morally right, even at the cost of achieving his own happiness. The reason he is extremely drawn to Tatiana is linked to her purity, sense of selflessness and honesty. She is unlike any other woman he has ever known. Alex tells her she is his miracle -- "God sent me you to give me faith." And when Tatiana explains the meaning of love she says "Love is when he is hungry, you feed him." Later on he tells her "I was hungry and you fed me." As Paullina Simons has explained, that line is from St. Mark's Gospel and is what St. Mark thinks Christ has offered the world. Tatiana is offering Alex salvation.

Yes, there are plenty of steamy, senusal moments in the book, but it is the spiritual connection, the communion of these two lost souls that really impacts the reader.

Need I say more?

I only discovered Outlander in June of this year though, so I'm still in that phase where I can't read anything else. But when I can, this series will be it! I've heard good things about it from others, so it's nice to have that corroborated here too!

I think I'm going to have to read these because I know I can get the books, but I don't think I have access to (free) audio versions. As it turns out, I am also drowning in audiobooks at the moment, but I meant actual paper and printed text books.

ABL, please let us know when you read the first book (TBH). There are some similiariities between Alexander and Tatiana and Jamie and Claire. Alexander and Jamie are moral people, which is not to say they are not sinners. They are believing sinners who possess a strong moral compass. Whereas the two heroines, seem fragile, but actually are made out of steel -- fighting tooth and nail for the men they love and would die for in an instant.

I will.

I simply love TBH and T&A, unfortunately I cant say the same about TSG...kind of ruined it for me.
TSG is filled with too many over the top situations, something very difficult to digest ... at one point I actually threw the book away...that mad i was with the whole thing ...but I my main issue with it is the general feeling of claustrophobia that this book gave to me...and PS doesn't spare little mercies for the poor reader...nothing. I truly loved Tatiana of the first 2 books, the third one turned me upside down and almost force me change my heart on her...I wish i never read that book. Sometimes i look at it sitting nicely on the bookshelf and want just to give it way, maybe simply not seeing it would give me the will back of reading TBH and T&A again...

Yes! i hate the third book...and nobody could make me change my mind

But oh ...TBH one of the best books that i read in years, and not because of Lazarevo ( my hubby should send a thank you note to Paulina though )...
I read this trilogy before OL and I didn't expect to love anyone else as much as Alexander...but Jamie didn't need much to take his place...
Jamie and Alexander have so much in common, but with so much that separates them...

RSP, I think I know which scene ruined the book for you. I was really disappointed at how the characters had changed through the years, but life can do that to a person. Tatiana's need to heal others, and thus heal herself in the process, nearly cost her everything. She didn't see the signs until it was almost too late, but I gather this was Paullina Simons shock factor. Actually, there were several shocks along the way.

Even so, I enjoyed TSG and was pleased to see everything come full circle. It was in the last few chapters that I had a strong sense that the author had based much of the family scenes on her own personal life. I felt like a fly on the wall, watching the dynamics of this strong family unit at work.

There is also a fourth book, entitled Tatiana's Kitchen that has anecdotes about Tatiana and Alexander as well as wonderful recipes of all the things Tatiana cooked for her family. At the very end, PS includes the alternate ending for TBH, which left me speechless. I am so relieved that she chose to write the sequels instead.
Has anyone else read this excerpt?

I read THE BRONZE HORSEMAN during the summer. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Loved the Alexander character. Tatiana got on my nerves from time to time. She was such an enabler of dependent behavior! I understand that it was Tatiana's nature to take care of people, but so often she allowed others to take advantage of her to the point of abuse. Alexander's comments shortly after arriving in Lazarevo sum up her behavior perfectly...(page 488 paperback)

"I didn't think it was possible," he said, shaking his head. "I didn't, after what I had seen at Fifth Soviet, but somehow you managed to do it."
"Do what?" Tatiana said, no longer faintly.
"Explain to me how," he snapped. "How did you manage to find and surround yourself with people even more needy than your family?"

Lady Jayne wrote:

That's for sure!! I enjoy a good sex scene, but I thought it was overdone after Alexander and Tatiana were married. Perhaps that author was trying to make the point of how famished Alexander was for love.

Lady Jayne wrote:

I agree. Alexander, IMO, was also an interesting blend of both hopefulness and hopelessness. On one hand, he hoped to escape from the Soviet Union and return to the US. That hope was his reason for living. On the other hand, he engaged in self-destructive behavior (promiscuous sex, drinking to excess, volunteering for dangerous missions) in an effort to escape the dangers, emptiness, sterility and limitations of life as he knew it in the USSR.

Alexander and Jamie are like-minded when it comes to marriage vows. They both insisted upon marriage vows exchanged in a church before God.

(page 545 paperback)
"A what?" Tatiana asked in disbelief, getting down and walking beside him.
"A church. We have to find one."
"What for?"
Alexander looked at her askance. "Where do you intend to get married?"
Tatiana thought about it. "Like everybody in the Soviet Union---at the registry office."
Laughing, he said, "What's the point? Why don't we go back and continue as we were?"
"That's an idea," Tatiana muttered. The mention of a church unsettled her.
Alexander took her hand and said nothing.
"Why church, Shura?"
"Tania," said Alexander, looking at the road ahead, "who do you want this covenant of marriage to be made with? The Soviet Union? Or God?"
(a few lines later)
Tatiana stood still next to Alexander, who after taking a deep breath, said, "Where I come from, marriage is a public and sacred ceremony. We're only going to do this once, so we would like it done right."

Lady Jayne wrote:

Beautifully said! When Alexander saw Tatiana blissfully eating an ice cream cone at the bus stop, I felt his reaction was that of a man dying of thirst who is given a drink of water. Amazement, disbelief, joy, thankfulness.

(page 543 paperback)
"I found my true love on the banks of the river Kama," whispered Alexander, staring at her.
"I found my true love on Ulitsa Saltykov-Schedrin, while I sat on a bench eating ice cream."
"You didn't find me. You weren't even looking for me. I found you."
Long pause. "Alexander, were you...looking for me?"
"All my life."

I have not yet read TATIANA AND ALEXANDER and THE SUMMER GARDEN. I would like to suggest that separate threads be started for those books and that this thread be limited to discussions pertaining to THE BRONZE HORSEMAN.

Tatiana is definitely the type of person who gives so much of herself, that she is easily taken advantage of by everyone including Alexander. But it's also the thing that attracts him to her and allows him to trust her enough to tell him who he is and his escape plan. Alexander doesn't exactly surround himself with the right people. I can't remember his best friend's name who was always in the background trying to extort him and who eventually betrays him.




Jamie was more a black and white kinda moralist where Alexander was more real in that he would do what it took to get through a situation whether it was with women sexually or militarily. Both of them could keep their feelings close to their vest, but Alexander was more of a compromiser than Jamie at least until later in Jamie's life.



...sigh...

Pauline wrote:

I never thought of Alexander as one who took advantage of Tatiana. Alexander did what he could to take care of Tatiana, to protect her against those who would take advantage of her or abuse her. Alexander tried to convince Tatiana to stand up to her family, to tell Dasha the truth about their relationship. He struck Tatiana's father, knocking him down, after learning a cut on her forehead was the result of having been hit by him.

I was thinking of the later books, but maybe in his case "takes advantage" of is a little too harsh. He does tend to take her for granted. I'm thinking about when he continues seeing Dasha and goes out on double-dates with her. Then there are the stretches of time when Tatiana doesn't know where he is or what he's up to. He kind of just tells her to wait for him but she doesn't know if he's dead or alive. And it's really S.G. which I know that you don't want to discuss that I start to get ticked off at Alexander.