Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Russian revolution, the author goes deep into the machinations of the various factions that eventually formed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Miéville is a scholar of economics and a popular author based in the UK. His works include A Spectre, Haunting, a critique of the Communist Manifesto. He starts his tale with an overview of Russian history during the 19th century, highlighting the emancipation of the serfs in 1861 and the eventual abdication of the Russian monarchy. A hint that this is not a casual read is the inclusion of an eight-page name glossary to keep track of the characters. Miéville is evenhanded in presenting the various revolutionary players, including Lenin, Stalin, and Trotsky, but does single out Alexander Kerensky for scorn. Following the historical overview of Russian situation, the author describes the 1905 failed revolt and then jumps to 1917. From the February uprisings in Petrograd where 240,000 workers staged a strike, Miéville proceeds month by month detailing the seemingly endless conflicts and meetings of the various “Soviets” (Russian for council or assembly) and the other factions attempting to form a government. Finally on October 26th the revolutionary government is formed. Miéville wraps up the tome with an epilogue summarizing the immediate turmoil faced by the new government. The exceptional quality of the writing kept me going through this dense material.
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