Boris Akunin, "Death to brotherhood": the order of books and the description of the plot

Boris Akunin, as you know, loves and knows how to surprise. Having written ten very unusual stories about the confrontation between Russian and German intelligence services during the First World War, and even in the genre of "novel-cinema", the writer started another game with his reader.

Literary "film series"

A series of novellas under the title "Death to brotherhood" (the order of the books and their description will be given a little later) appeared after one of the country's leading television channels invited the author to write a script for the multi-series film about the First World War. However, it turned out that the vision of the channel did not coincide with the author's. In the author's opinion, ten stories under the same title "Death to brotherhood" (the order of books is denoted by "films") is a story about two opponents from opposing intelligence services who have come together in a fight and, using their talent and dedication, themselves without suspecting, Each their own empire.

According to the same channel, the series was supposed to be more straightforward - good patriots, very bad Germans and villains-Bolsheviks. It was not possible to negotiate. After some time another channel became interested in the Akunin version, but, as it often happens on television, the project ended without starting.

Boris Akunin: "Death to brotherhood"

But it is worthwhile to dwell on the books themselves. More precisely, their design. As already mentioned, the author (as he himself has repeatedly confessed) likes to experiment with his reader. Deciding not to seek compromises with producers anymore, the author creates "his own cinema", in which he himself will be responsible for casting, location, budget, and so on ... So the genre "novel-cinema" appeared, where there are a lot of illustrations and even a photo chronicle. The role of Sepp (the German spy) is played by Leonid Parfenov, an "alien fleur" whom Akunin liked very much. Other characters are also played by famous artists, even some, unfortunately, are no longer alive.

Above illustrations were Igor Sakurov, Denis Gordeev and Mikhail Chereysky. In the "initial credits" of the book they are designated as "operators". "Taper" is the author himself. There was a cinema-book project "Death to brotherhood" (the order of books can be found below) to the beginning of the next "television season". Each such "season" is a volume with two "movie stories".

Film One: The Infant and the Devil

The plot of the cycle "Death to brotherhood" (the order of books the author denotes numbered "films") begins in the summer of 1914. Alexey Romanov (just a namesake) is a student who has a unique voice. By chance, he became a participant in the capture of a spy of German intelligence, and, as they say, "on the wrong side." Because of him, the spy manages to escape and disappear without a trace. Wishing to atone for his guilt, Romanov does his best to help the intelligence to catch the fugitive. After all, only he saw the enemy in the face.

The second film: "The flour of a broken heart"

Because of an unsuccessful clash with enemy intelligence, Alexei volunteered to the front. After being wounded in the right arm, he was cleaned out because of a possible paralysis. When he returned home, a new attack awaited him: the bride was going to become the wife of another. For a romantic Alexei it turned out to be a terrible blow and, it would seem, a pistol left over from the previous pre-war life - the only and logical outcome ... But at the most crucial moment it turned out that it is very necessary for intelligence. Ahead is waiting for Switzerland, where his voice is very useful.

The third film: "The Flying Elephant"

A new round of war - battles are fought not only on the ground, but also in the sky. Germany began to give up their positions when the Russians had a supernova multimotor aircraft, proudly named "Ilya Muromets". Germany has only one way out - to attract a spy and a subversive extra-class Sepp. He must discredit this miracle of technology during the imperial review.

Film Four: The Children of the Moon

To expose the enemy agent, Romanov will infiltrate the decadent society of the club "Children of the Moon". He must disclose the traitor, who passes the secret data to the enemy.

The fifth film: "Strange Man"

At Teofels new target - General Zhukovsky, the chief of the gendarmer corps. But the plan thought out to trifles unexpectedly fails. And the city is carried away by contradictory gossip about the mysterious Wanderer, who has unusual abilities and has an influence on the empress herself ...

Film Six: "Thunder of victory, give out!"

Again, Romanov is at the center of another espionage investigation, the outcome of which determines the fate of the coming battle. Now his task is to understand how the enemy is aware of the data kept in the strictest secrecy.

The seventh film: "Maria", Maria ... "

Russia is again on the brink of domination in the Black Sea. The blame for this is dreadnoughts, united by a series of "Empress Maria". The German command decides to destroy the Russian flagship. The case is entrusted to Sepp von Theofels.

Eighth film: "Nothing Sacred"

In the strictest secrecy from the Kaiser, the Reich decides to organize an attempt on the Russian emperor. Zepp is again to be transferred to Russia. Meanwhile, in the person of the security inspector, an experienced intelligence officer, Alexei Romanov, lieutenant, was assigned to the tsar's train ...

Film Ninth: "Operation" Transit "

1917 year. After the February Revolution, criminal power was overthrown. However, the Provisional Government still does not conclude an alliance with Germany. Teofels was charged with ensuring the safe departure of the leader of the proletariat in Zurich.

The tenth film: "The Battalion of Angels"

Alexey Romanov as an instructor was seconded by the Provisional Government to the location of the female battalion of future infantrymen. The story, according to Akunin himself, is the most important of the whole cycle.

Continuation? ..

And although after the tenth novel the "shootings" were officially finished, attentive readers could notice that Alexei Romanov (after changing his surname to Oktyabrsky) appears in other books - "Quest" and "Spy novel". In the latter, by the way, it was not without the restless Sepp ...

After all, everyone knows the love of the author for games with readers.