Rating: 
Summary: Noir, AmerRus Style
Review: "Siberian Light" is the sometimes eloquent, often savage and utterly riveting discovery of an unspeakable American secret in the heart of contemporary Siberian oil country. Brilliantly structured and fast-paced right to the finish, the book draws on Robin White's considerable personal experience of the Siberian landscape, Russian politics and the oil industry. Yet in the end, it is the chilling plausibility of using Siberia as a camp for unregenerate American criminals that turns the story inside out and raises troubling questions. Compared with the Gulag Archipelago, what might this possibility mean? Our access into the labyrinthine complexities of post-Soviet law enforcement (the most convincing portrayal since Martin Cruz Smith1s depiction of Soviet-era enforcement in Gorky Park) is through Gregori Nowek, whose dogged persistence in spite of layers of corruption and deception is as admirable as his laconic (very Russian) sense of humor and his genuine humanity.Our access into the AmerRus oil conglomerate, including the Elgen prison complex is abetted both by Nowek1s daughter rebellious sixteen-year-old daughter Galena (who is lured to Tunguska to become a sex prisoner) and by the fascinating Dr. Anna Vereskaya, the wildlife expert (whose courage and wit convey the dark secret via satellite to friends in the American research community just in time).With our access we see institutional corruption in AmerRus that makes ordinary Russian corruption look tame. The soulless ruthlessness with which the immune conglomerate goes about protecting its evidently profitable prison business seems as much a warning about what now exists as about what might be. If you can stomach this book to its end, it will try your soul. The Siberian tigers seem admirable in comparison with the humans involved in the crime. One particular prisoner suffers so much and works so much good by a simple gesture just before his death that the institutional mentality that consigned him to this place seems more criminal than he.The premise that Americans would offshore to Siberia its most hardened criminals is fraught with irony, given the Soviet-era use of the region to intern its criminal population. True enough, the prison population in the United States is reaching such proportions with such costs that many out-of-the-box solutions have been proposed. Asked about ideas I could suggest to alleviate the problem, I simply recommended one solution NOT to contemplate, and I gave the righteous "law and order advocate" inquirer a copy of Siberian Light.
Rating:
Summary: Noir, AmerRus Style
Review: "Siberian Light" is the sometimes eloquent, often savage and utterly riveting discovery of an unspeakable American secret in the heart of contemporary Siberian oil country. Brilliantly structured and fast-paced right to the finish, the book draws on Robin White's considerable personal experience of the Siberian landscape, Russian politics and the oil industry. Yet in the end, it is the chilling plausibility of using Siberia as a camp for unregenerate American criminals that turns the story inside out and raises troubling questions. Compared with the Gulag Archipelago, what might this possibility mean? Our access into the labyrinthine complexities of post-Soviet law enforcement (the most convincing portrayal since Martin Cruz Smith1s depiction of Soviet-era enforcement in Gorky Park) is through Gregori Nowek, whose dogged persistence in spite of layers of corruption and deception is as admirable as his laconic (very Russian) sense of humor and his genuine humanity.Our access into the AmerRus oil conglomerate, including the Elgen prison complex is abetted both by Nowek1s daughter rebellious sixteen-year-old daughter Galena (who is lured to Tunguska to become a sex prisoner) and by the fascinating Dr. Anna Vereskaya, the wildlife expert (whose courage and wit convey the dark secret via satellite to friends in the American research community just in time).With our access we see institutional corruption in AmerRus that makes ordinary Russian corruption look tame. The soulless ruthlessness with which the immune conglomerate goes about protecting its evidently profitable prison business seems as much a warning about what now exists as about what might be. If you can stomach this book to its end, it will try your soul. The Siberian tigers seem admirable in comparison with the humans involved in the crime. One particular prisoner suffers so much and works so much good by a simple gesture just before his death that the institutional mentality that consigned him to this place seems more criminal than he.The premise that Americans would offshore to Siberia its most hardened criminals is fraught with irony, given the Soviet-era use of the region to intern its criminal population. True enough, the prison population in the United States is reaching such proportions with such costs that many out-of-the-box solutions have been proposed. Asked about ideas I could suggest to alleviate the problem, I simply recommended one solution NOT to contemplate, and I gave the righteous "law and order advocate" inquirer a copy of Siberian Light.
Rating:
Summary: Dr. Zhivago meets Gorky Park
Review: Have you ever studied, visited or wondered about Russia, the Soviet Union, or what has risen from their ashes? If so, Siberian Light is for you. Robin White blends the other-worldly conditions of daily life in Siberia with murder, greed, loyalty and a hero who is searching for meaning in his life. Nowek, the hero, finds himself wanting to be heroic, yet doesn't know if the system has beaten the heroism out of him. A surprising blend of unlikely accomplices and intriguing sub-plots give the book great pace. This murder mystery respects its reader's intelligence, letting out enough rope to piece some things together while painting a painfully honest picture of the harshness of life on the other side of the world. By setting the story in Siberia, which quickly proves to be a land that tests one's limits, White's characters are believable in their wide range of good and evil, since the place itself can and does bring out the best and worst in every one of them. Regardless of this review's trite "Hollywood pitch" title, Siberian Light is a book worth reading for its well-developed characters, poetic moments, ironic truisms and amazing attention to detail (from the upside-down nature of things in Siberia to a deft use of Russian sayings and their meanings without being heavy-handed). Robin White lets us flex imaginative muscles through fabulous descriptions and accurate assessments of the attitude and character of post-Soviet society. Even though the book is a murder mystery, the more intriguing mystery turns out to be how the characters will fare in the end. Will justice prevail? Will the "good guy" win? And how do you tell the good guys from the bad guys in Siberia?! Buy the hard cover; this one deserves a permanent place on the shelf.
Rating:
Summary: Dr. Zhivago meets Gorky Park
Review: Have you ever studied, visited or wondered about Russia, the Soviet Union, or what has risen from their ashes? If so, Siberian Light is for you. Robin White blends the other-worldly conditions of daily life in Siberia with murder, greed, loyalty and a hero who is searching for meaning in his life. Nowek, the hero, finds himself wanting to be heroic, yet doesn't know if the system has beaten the heroism out of him. A surprising blend of unlikely accomplices and intriguing sub-plots give the book great pace. This murder mystery respects its reader's intelligence, letting out enough rope to piece some things together while painting a painfully honest picture of the harshness of life on the other side of the world. By setting the story in Siberia, which quickly proves to be a land that tests one's limits, White's characters are believable in their wide range of good and evil, since the place itself can and does bring out the best and worst in every one of them. Regardless of this review's trite "Hollywood pitch" title, Siberian Light is a book worth reading for its well-developed characters, poetic moments, ironic truisms and amazing attention to detail (from the upside-down nature of things in Siberia to a deft use of Russian sayings and their meanings without being heavy-handed). Robin White lets us flex imaginative muscles through fabulous descriptions and accurate assessments of the attitude and character of post-Soviet society. Even though the book is a murder mystery, the more intriguing mystery turns out to be how the characters will fare in the end. Will justice prevail? Will the "good guy" win? And how do you tell the good guys from the bad guys in Siberia?! Buy the hard cover; this one deserves a permanent place on the shelf.
Rating:
Summary: poetic and gritty, witty and wise
Review: I read "Siberian Light" a year or two ago, and I am currently reading it again because, from time to time, I recall its poetic and gritty lines. This is an excellent read, masterfully done. White has a fine talent for charcterization. I hope that if the author hasn't written more about Siberia, he will--and soon.
Rating: 
Summary: Slow paced "thriller"
Review: I started Siberian Light with great anticipation, hoping for a glimpse into the world of Siberia while moving through an entertaining story. While Robin White provides a stark, apparently realistic view of a fairly dismal existence in present day Siberia, the story itself is unfortunately lacking a compelling reason to move quickly through the book. Although billed as a "thriller," this was not a "page turner" by any means. The ingredients were there: murder, corruption, political power struggles, evil business interests. Unfortunately, Siberian Light seemed too often to simply plod along. The main protagonist, Gregori Nowek, is an intriguing character, who, although admittedly having endured numerous difficulties in his life, seems to wallow in self pity so much that it slows the book down. Through Nowek, the reader is meant to come to know and understand Siberia, so perhaps the dark side of Nowek is a necessity. All-in-all, I wish that I had waited for this to come out in paperback instead of buying the hardcover when first published. If you want a look into the world of Siberia following the breakup of the Soviet Union, Siberian light will be worthwhile. If you yearn for a true "thriller," look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: A thriller along the lines of Gorky Park
Review: Some writers are more skillful than others at painting pictures with words: Robin White creates a detailed potrait of quiet courage, perseverance, and stoicism within a gripping tale of murder, mayhem, greed, and corruption. There is enough action and dry (sometimes dark) humor to entertain even the most discriminating reader. Nowek is a politician turned lawman... sometimes not so carefully threading his way among plots and counterplots, capitalists and communists, the haves and the have-nots in a modern Siberian setting. Similarities between Nowek and Martin Cruz Smith's character in Gorky Park and sequels become readily apparent. Readers that need constant gratification and junk food for the mind need to stick to Harry Potter or Clive Cussler. Those who enjoy well developed characters, realistic settings, and intricate plots will read Siberian Light and any sequels with great relish.
Rating: 
Summary: A Guilty Pleasure
Review: Sometimes it is nice to read for pure entertainment and I feel that this is a good book to do that with. The premise is so far fetched that in my mind this book is like some of Robert Harris' "what if" thrillers ("Fatherland", "Archangel"). However I really liked the dialogue (which with the help of Chuchin the driver was sometimes funny and "snappy") and I liked the characters and wanted to see how their lifes were going to unfold and what the end of the book will bring for them. In fact I got so much into the book that I read all 400 odd pages in 3 days. One thing that I did feel was very genuine was the description of life in a small Siberian town. Reading about an out of the way town in a country that used to be a super power and now is almost Third World, lost in a a landscape of huge mountains and snow, struggling to stay civilized...made me think about all the things I take for granted. Is it predictable? Sort of. Is it about deep human feelings? Not really. Is it fun to read? Yes. Does it make someone living in USA feel fortunate about our high standard of living? YES!
Rating:
Summary: A Guilty Pleasure
Review: Sometimes it is nice to read for pure entertainment and I feel that this is a good book to do that with. The premise is so far fetched that in my mind this book is like some of Robert Harris' "what if" thrillers ("Fatherland", "Archangel"). However I really liked the dialogue (which with the help of Chuchin the driver was sometimes funny and "snappy") and I liked the characters and wanted to see how their lifes were going to unfold and what the end of the book will bring for them. In fact I got so much into the book that I read all 400 odd pages in 3 days. One thing that I did feel was very genuine was the description of life in a small Siberian town. Reading about an out of the way town in a country that used to be a super power and now is almost Third World, lost in a a landscape of huge mountains and snow, struggling to stay civilized...made me think about all the things I take for granted. Is it predictable? Sort of. Is it about deep human feelings? Not really. Is it fun to read? Yes. Does it make someone living in USA feel fortunate about our high standard of living? YES!
Rating:
Summary: Glacial Pace
Review: This book opens with a fast-paced series of scenes involving a promising hero and his partner, who, alas, are quickly killed off. Then the REAL story begins, rather like a locomotive pulling too much freight: very s-l-o-w-l-y. The freight is a ton of background information about the miseries of modern Russia, and the author wants us to have it all. After 60 pages, the train hadn't even left the station, and I gave up. There may be a great story there somewhere in the next 380 pages, but the author didn't make it worth my while to find out.
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