This post is part of the November 2011 Blog Chain at Absolute Write. This month’s challenge is a back cover blurb from a book you have written or would like to write.
The early 1980’s: the depths of the Cold War. The Soviet Union has never been stronger.
Yet there are cracks in its monolithic facade in the form of a group of young anti-nuclear activists. Roman Korovin: the brains, a dedicated revolutionary with very personal reasons for acting against the “demon atom.” Mirya Meloa: the beauty, a deadly fighter and skilled propagandist inflamed with passion for the cause. Vasily Albanov: the brawn, and ex-KGB forger with a penchant for bad jokes. Together, they seek to create a Soviet utopia free of nuclear power…through sabotage.
But when a mission goes awry the three find the full resources of the Soviet state arrayed against them, from an aging despotic general secretary to a ruthlessly efficient KGB major. When one of the revolutionaries inexplicably goes wild and begins cutting a bloody path to the heart of the regime’s terrible secrets, the activists are caught up in an unfolding plot which threatens not only the survival of their country but the future of the human race. The stage is set for a confrontation that will shake the state to its foundations.
“Tunguska Butterfly” is a tale of the Weird East, mixing a dash of real history with intrigue and science fiction in an adventure that stretches from the dreary heart of the USSR to the poisoned steppes of Central Asia.
Check out this month’s other bloggers, all of whom have posted or will post their own responses:
Ralph Pines
MysteryRiter
AuburnAssassin
Jarrah Dale
SinisterCola
dolores haze
pyrosama
Alynza
anarchicq
writingismypassion
CScottMorris
Excerpts From Nonexistent Books 
November 4, 2011 at 2:30 pm
Good job! I would definitely open that book to check it out. 😀
November 4, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Thanks! Now if only a literary agent would agree with you…
November 4, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Succinct and yet it tells the story well. I like the “Weird East” bit. Then again I’m a sucker for espionage thrillers.
November 4, 2011 at 3:46 pm
Ironically, when I shopped the query letter at AW, the “weird east” was the one thing everyone unanimously wanted me to drop.
November 4, 2011 at 8:24 pm
Sounds interesting… great post!
November 5, 2011 at 10:59 am
I liked it, but found that the intro of the three characters kind of slowed down the reading. Is there any way to fix that? Also, the “unfolding plot” seems vague. Is there a way to be more specific?
Those are my nitpicks for you. Hope the book goes far. I don’t see a lot of Russian /KGB stories out there so this definitely sounds interesting.
November 5, 2011 at 4:08 pm
Thanks for the critiques. It’s all “from the hip” so to speak; the query letters are much more refined.
November 5, 2011 at 1:25 pm
I think it sounds intriguing, but what genre is it? Historical? Alternate history?
November 5, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Historical and alternate history together. It’s based on history but deviates from the way things really happened in a few key science-fictiony ways.
November 6, 2011 at 7:19 pm
I love alternate history stories thrown together with a little bit of perhaps a conspiracy theory. I’m excited for you. Nice job 😀
November 7, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Thanks! I think this book would be right up your alley. Whether it is up anyone else’s…well, we’ll see.
November 8, 2011 at 1:17 pm
Sounds interesting. Good luck!
November 14, 2011 at 6:03 pm
Forget the book, I want to see the movie!
November 20, 2011 at 1:18 pm
You and me both, buddy. You and me both.
November 18, 2011 at 10:53 am
Omg, I love pseudo-alternate-history and sci-fi-war scenarios. This sounds so cool! 🙂
November 20, 2011 at 1:17 pm
Thanks! I hope to find an agent with the same outlook.
November 26, 2011 at 6:16 am
Good luck finding an Agent!
I have to agree with other AWers though, ‘Weird East’ isn’t my favorite part of this.
November 29, 2011 at 9:29 am
It seems to be a “love it or hate it” phrase, which is why it’s not part of the current query.
November 26, 2011 at 9:55 am
Well gee…I remember having some issues with my comments on first 2 blurgs I read (yours and the next in the queue) but not that it posted blank. Oh well, anyway… I love the last paragraph about the “Weird East” and the “poisoned steppes”