BACKSTAGE
Passionate Love was able to throw away Social Barriers, but submitted to the Hand of Destiny
Leonid Sakharov
Synopsys
Chapter by chapter outline
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Synopsys
The historical adventure novel "Backstage" tells of events shortly
after the usurpation of power in the Russian Empire by the Bolsheviks, which followed the successive collapse of first the monarchy and then democracy as
a result of defeat in the Great War in 1917.
In the spring of 1918, the head of government, Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin), instructs the Chairman of the Extraordinary Commission
for Combating Counterrevolution, Felix Dzerzhinsky, to carry out a top secret operation, the "Kaiser's Memorandum", to guarantee,
without the possibility of restoration, the interruption of the hereditary monarchy in Russia, physically eliminating all members
of the Romanov family and destroying all evidence of the Bolsheviks' collaboration with the German Empire,
Russia's enemy in the Great War (First World War).
Dzerzhinsky involves the Socialist Revolutionary Yakov Blumkin in the practical implementation of the task, who puts the plan into action.
A series of seemingly unrelated events: the uprising of the Czechoslovak Corps,
the murder of the German Ambassador Mirbach, the murder of the Successor of Tsar
Mikhail, the execution of the former Tsar Nicholas II, the murder of the Grand
Dukes in Alapayevsk, the murder of Uritsky in Petrograd and the staging of an assassination attempt on Lenin,
the search of the Entente embassies, the murder of the German Communists Luxemburg and Liebknecht in Germany, the prevention of the transfer
of funds from Tsarist Russia to the White Guards in Paris, all this was organized by Yakov Blumkin.
The fulfillment of the mission was complicated by crazy love at first sight. Having met the Grand Duchess Natalia Paley on the street,
the Chekist Yakov Blumkin promised to save her brother, the poet Vladimir, which he did, replacing him in Alapayevsk with a guard
from the captured Austrians. Under the guise of Richard Sorge, he managed to carry out the main operation of his life - saving the world from nuclear destruction,
directing the aggression of the Japanese Empire along the Southern Option, which prevented the defeat of the USSR in the first year of World War II.
The destiny of Blumkin-Sorge made World War II the first atomic, which served as a
kind of vaccination against a full-scale nuclear war that would have destroyed all life in the Universe.
The story of Grand Duchess Natalia Paley runs through the entire book, who became the first supermodel and the inspiration for two great writers, Remarque and Exupery.
Chapter by chapter outline
1. Introduction.
Author explaining what inspired him to write the book about events just after Russian Revolution of 1917. It was stories of his farther who was pre-teenager that time and had direct knowledge of strictly forbidden in USSR truth.2. Meeting of first sights
Two major lyrical characters of the novel are meet by chance at the street of post revolutionary Petrograd (that was the name of city Saint Petersburg, Russia that time). It was love from the very first sight between them. Both of them are extraordinary persons with long life later achievements. At time of the first meeting they are very young like Romeo and Julia. They are revolutionary operative Yakov Blumkin and Princess Natalia Paley. Blumkin helps Lubov Sakharova to enter Writer Gorky apartment to beg for her husband and secretly gives to Natalia his contact phone.3. Your love or your life
Natalie calls Blumkin. He sets a meeting where she asked him to safe her brother Duke Vladimir Paley. Blumkin agreed to try on condition that Natalia will be his agent but actually to deserve her love.4. Operation ‘Kaiser Memorandum’
The story moved back in time to initiation by Lenin of the operation ‘Kaiser Memorandum’ to total eradication of everybody belonged to Royal family of Romanov’s and cleaning evidences of collaboration of party of Bolsheviks in general and Lenin’s personally with enemy of Russia in the Great War (that time name of WW1). Lenin had nerve breakdown with premonition not to be buried. Blumkin was chosen as executive leaded and did presented the plan to Dzerzhinsky, head of Cheka (secret police).5. Death of Mirbach
Blumkin starts the operation with raid toward German Embassy to destroy compromising documents. Tricking count Mirbach to open a vault Blumkin put there improvising bomb. By chance Mirbash was killed. Blumkin escapes with alibi for himself and Dzerzhinsky for continuation of operation ‘Kaiser Memorandum’.6. Yekaterinburg
Blumkin arrived to Yekaterinburg to order start of murder of former Tsar and his family. He meets his local subordinate Voykov and gives him order backed with fake documents written with disappearing ink. Blumkin tells to Voykov that body of brother of former Czar, Michail, was feed to pigs. Blumkin moves to Alapayevsk to save Vladimir Paley.7. Grand Dukes of Alapayevsk
Blumkin arrived by train in Alapaevsk where Dukes of Royal family were under captivity. He contacts with agent Alexandra Krivova who works undercover as all-hand servant for noble prisoners. She had sexual contact with Blumkin to deserve his protection as probably mother of his boy.8. Execution of the Tsar
Voykov in office of Head of Ural Deputies in absence of the all leaders tricks a secretary Startzeva, young girl, to print official decision to execute a former Tsar and to call Commandant Yakov Yurovsky to prepare before Voykov arrival with the paper. Voykov and Startzeva have sex moved under excitement of the moment. All family and servants of the Tsar are shot dead because misconstruction by Yurovsky a demand of Nikolai to be shot the last. Voykov at truck ride to Blumkin to Alapaevsk.9. Saving out from massacre
Blumkin in Alapaevsk elaborates with his agents Krivova and Cheslav, who was undercover servant of Vladimir Paley, to the goal recruiting his master and friend. Blumkin writes fake order signed by Dzerzhinsky to requisite an airplane and gave it to Cheslav who is a former pilot.10. Death for life
Blumkin and Cheslav meet Voykov with two subordinate red army solders, who arrived after killing all family of former Tsar. Blumkin organized with help of Voykov execution of all Grand Dukes and with help of Krivova a replacement of Vladimir Paley with mortal drunk Austrian guard. Blumkin and Vladimir Paley walks to Cheslav who lands airplane at near field. All Grand Dukes and Austrian guard instead Vladimir Paley are burred alive at abandon gold mine.11. Flight to Gatchina
Blumkin gives an ultimatum to Vladimir Paley to be killed at spot or to give noble words to serve the current communists government. Paley chooses life. The company of three young men traveling by airplane "Farman" to suburb of Petrograd, the town named Gatchina, where Cheslav has apartments of his parents. After week of every day by three hours flights they arrived Gatchina. Cheslav meets his wife there.12. Second date
Blumkin connects with his subordinate in Cheka, Vladimir Shorre. Shorre comes to Gatchina bringing documents for Cheslav with wife to travel in USA. Cheslav phone to mother of Vladimir Paley to ask money for trip and to inform Natalia that her brother is alive. Natalia meets brother and kisses Blumkin as token of gratitude. That kiss ignites passion love for both of them.13. Love and revenge
Cheslav with his wife travel to USA where reach American dream. Blumkin contacts relative of Natalia Paley, Pyotr Durnovo asking him for help in legalization of Vladimir Paley under the guise of Austrian prisoner of War. Natalia Paley learned via Durnovo that every relative of royal extended family is under mortal danger. Natalia phone Blumkin. They ride to Cheslav apartment where make passion love. Natalia tell Blumkin about murder of Rasputin that it was under pretense of sexual movie session. Natalie and Blumkin had weeks of honeymoon. Blumkin tells Natalia about preparation to Red terror. She wants revenge against Uritsky, disgusting head of Petrograd secret police, Cheka. Blumkin agrees that Uritsky disgraces the Jews and good sacrifice to start Red Terror.14. World revolution
Blumkin is invited for the meeting at headwaters at Trotsky’s train arrived in Gatchina. He hits into Lubov Sakharova whose brother of law is head of security of Trotsky. Sakharova invites Blumkin to visit for lunch her family as token of gratitude for help in release of her husband. At the meeting at Trotsky there was decision to lunch Red Terror by assassination of Uritsky and staged attempt on Lenin; as well the group to help foreseen German Revolution was formed from Blumkin, Radek, Shorre and Vladimir Paley. Blumkin visits Sakharov family.15. Red Terror
Blumkin via Natalia Paley and Olga Arbenina planted phone number of Uritsky to Leonid Kannegiser who hated head of Petrograd Cheka for death of his friend. Kannegiser at set by phone meeting kills Uritsky. Dzerzhinsky stages attempt on Lenin’s life. Both of these events trigger the Red Terror and assaults on foreign embassy to destroy compromising documents about connection Lenin and Germans during Great War.16. Felix in Switzerland
Dzerzhinsky with Blumkin and Avanesov travel to Switzerland to sell treasury jewelry confiscated from former masters of life. Dzerzhinsky exchanged with German and British spies expensive gems for the compromising letter of Lenin to German general Ludendorf about permission to travel via Germany for help to demoralize the Russian army. Blumkin informs Dzerzhinsky about article of Rosa Luxemburg with critics of Russia Revolution.17. Escape
Red Terror on all former rich and noble citizens in former capital of Russia, Petersburg create mortal danger to be there for Natalia Paley, who is under patronage of Dzerzhinsky because of Blumkin’s beg. Under pretense of infiltrating agent of Cheka Mura Budberg there was organized escape of sisters Natalia and Ira Paley to the Finland.18. Richard Sorge
Blumkin in Berlin obtains new identity of the former German solder, Richard Sorge, exchanging beds with deceased neighbor in hospital where he was treated from Spanish flu. Blumkin under personality Sorge participated in naval riot in Kill and events in Berlin. Later in Munich Hobbreuhaus brewery he meets with Adolf and the team of agents from Soviet Russia.19. Broken rose
After defeat of Spartacus Uprising in Berlin the group of agents from Soviet Russia under leadership of Radek helped to find wanted by German Army heads of German Communist Luxembourg and Libknecht. They are murdered that diminishes treat of competition to Russian Communists from German ones if that German Communists if Word Revolution happened. Group is self-devolved. The further of Natalia Paley, Grand Duke Pavel, is executed by Bolsheviks, her mother Olga Paley also escaped to Finland.20. Paris
Blumkin asked by Dzerzhinsky to deliver letter from mother to Count Ignatiev, who is holder of huge sum of funds in Paris. At Eiffel Tower Blumkin meets by chance Natalia Paley. Their love ignites with new flame. Natalia helps Blumkin with his task to find Count Ignatiev that was in her benefits because Ignatiev guarantied credit line for Paley family.21. Muse of geniuses
Blumkin and Natalie celebrates at Moulin Rudge the success of their missions. Blumkin moved by his destiny decides to return in Russia. He befriend at cabaret by young man Antoine, future famous writer, who did comfort Natalia Paley after Blumkin abrupt departure. The farther biography of Princess Natalia Paley is outlined as famous supermodel and movie star. She becomes a muse of many famous fashion icons and writers.22. Savior
Blumkin on the way to Moscow travels via Odessa where he met his friend a head of criminal underground Mishka Yaponchik who help him with documents and alibi for winter of 1919. At Kremenchug Blumkin was captured by Petliurites. Because he was uncircumcised Jew and wear a gift of Natalia, gold cross, Blumkin was not shot at spot by militants and saved by Sergey Sakharov who returns the debt for his life. Blumkin returns to Moscow and pardoned from execution by Dzerzhinsky. Under name of Richard Sorge Blumkin fulfill the task of his life turning aggression of Japan toward Perl Harbor USA instead of Soviet Russia that results in vaccination of humanity from total nuclear annihilation.23. Epilogue
Fates of characters of the book was outlined. Lenin was punished by shame in denial of burial. Radek was dead in prison. Shorre disappeared without trace. Mura Budberg had good life. Sergei Sakharov died from tuberculosis. His son German Sakharov makes military career. He married at daughter of Shorre. Their son is author of this novel.Books from the same shelf
Three Musketeers. by Alexandre Dumas
Everyone knows this book.
Most people love it, although not everyone who has watched the films
based on it has read it. Almost everyone, if not everyone, has watched
the films, and there are many based on the novel. The book is unique
with a unique plot. A young unprincipled man came to conquer, to
make a career, in Paris. He himself, one might say a young guy, is
completely immoral with a consumerist attitude towards women and a
disdainful attitude towards human life. But he himself is good at
fencing, like an Olympic champion, and with an instinctively
acceptable idea of morality, or rather the concept that one should
not do bad to people if you can. The main thing is that he does not
get pleasure from sadism. This is already so much that the reader
easily forgives small pranks for the fact that d'Artagnan embodies the dreams of teenagers about the
beautiful life, about the fact that all doors are open if you are
strong, brave and cunning.
In the novel "Backstage", the main
character Yakov Blumkin, as a person, is almost a copy of d'Artagnan.
He is also very young, almost his peer. Also from the province. In
the novel, he is very lucky and smart. He also loves women in
general and is capable of falling in love, like a madman at first
sight, putting love above a narrowly understood duty to his
superiors, even to the revolution, like d'Artagnan to the Cardinal,
who was the state. And also, having secretly accomplished incredible
feats, both do not receive much recognition.
Like d'Artagnan,
Blumkin accomplishes incredible secret feats for love, but then
loses love. This is a book about the price paid and the rewards
received by a young man who has chosen a bright career on par with
his special, above-average abilities. He gets an interesting fate,
crazy love and changes the course of history. That's a lot. Yes,
that's a lot. But life will definitely put a fly in the ointment in
this huge barrel of honey. Everyone is waiting for an end. Glorious
or inglorious, but also necessarily meaningless from the point of
view of the person himself. This is how it is arranged and not by us.
Memories of Russia by Princess Olga Paley.
These memoirs of a woman with a strange fate became for me the most reliable historical evidence of those days. Olga Paley outlived her husband, Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich, and her son, the poet Vladimir Paley. Both were executed by communists - Leninists. In the novel "Backstage", Vladimir was secretly saved from everyone by the main character, Yakov Blumkin. In life, she was convinced that her son had died. Olga Paley is the mother of the novel's main character, Natalia. She and her daughters survived the Red Terror and were able to escape to Finland. This is described in detail, but very implausibly in her book. Implausible not from the point of view of doubts about her sincerity, that she deliberately distorted the truth, no, I believe her unconditionally. But she could not know everything. She knew what was in the newspapers and around her, but she did not know about the affairs of a small group of Bolshevik leaders. They moved in different spheres, although she could have heard something from another daughter, Marianne, who was close to Gorky and was generally a legend of the February Revolution. This book of memoirs is really interesting, it will be especially informative for those who, like me, having had their fill of Soviet films about the revolution in childhood and adolescence, want to understand life in that terrible era from the point of view of a participant in the events, one could say an outside and objective, but vitally interested observer.
Ordeal. by Alexei Tolstoy
. This is a classic book that was part of the school literature curriculum in the Soviet years, when I was a student. A TV series (https://yandex.ru/video/preview/12514621540211723395) was made based on the book, also in Soviet times, which is even better than the epic novel itself. Perhaps The Road to Calvary is the only book published in the USSR that can be called a relatively honest description of the events surrounding the Russian Revolution of 1917. I will emphasize the word relatively here in combination with its characterization as honest. What could in no way contradict the official version of events, Tolstoy described as truthfully as possible, with art for sure. He was a contemporary, he knew. His female characters are written with love. The writer preferred romantic young ladies and sympathized with them with all his might. But! Historical facts are presented only in dotted lines, with gaping gaps. This is especially striking at the end of the second part, 1918. There is almost nothing about the murder of Mirbach. A mention of the Socialist Revolutionary rebellion and nothing about the murder of the royal family. Look away, it doesn't matter. In the novel Backstage, it is precisely these circumstances that I direct my most direct and intent gaze. But I want to emphasize that The Ordeal is worth reading, it is good literature, at least the first two-thirds of the text.Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
. This is a classic primarily because it highlights the insoluble contradictions of life. We are all individuals, independent beings with our own aspirations and desires. And at the same time, and this is extremely important, we are members of a society in which we must play the roles expected of us according to rules not established by us. What if you fall in love with the daughter of your parents' bitter enemy? And what if, even worse, she loves you back? Then it is so bad that there is simply no solution to life. Romeo and Juliet died trying to somehow wriggle out of it. In the novel Backstage, Princess Natalia Paley and the agent of Soviet Russia parted ways and each went their own unique path in life. Also a solution, but also an unhappy one. They were needed by human history - she to inspire geniuses, and he to save the world from nuclear self-destruction, although he himself did not know that he had saved it. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet only to pity them. The contradiction between love and Purpose is resolved in favor of purpose. The sacrifice is enormous, however.Fifty Years of Service by Alexey Ignatyev
These are the memoirs of a professional military man and diplomat who began his career in the tsarist army and ended it half a century later in Stalin's USSR. It was not a unique case, but one of the strangest, although it has a direct explanation. During the revolutions of 1917, he was the military representative of Russia i n France and turned out to be the manager of a huge sum of money that was suspended because weapons for the Russian army were paid for but not delivered as a result of the change of power in Petrograd. Count Ignatiyev gave this sum only to the Russian government, the Bolsheviks, when the USSR was recognized by France. But he could have given it to the counterrevolution. It is impossible to say what would have happened to the Soviet government then. A dozen or so tanks could have reached Moscow. Or they might not have reached it. Be that as it may, he did not give it. Why? In the novel "Behind the Scenes" a version is put forward that the Bolsheviks, having occupied Kyiv, received the Count's mother at their disposal. In the book, Ignatyev writes that he received a letter from his mother by chance, and then she came herself. It is not specified who delivered the letter. In the novel, it is Blumkin. The book itself is interesting mainly in its first part, when the author describes his training in the Page Corps, and then in the General Staff Academy and then as an officer. I think this is the best immersion into the life of the Russian army before the revolution. A dual impression of what exactly led to defeats, first in the Japanese war, and then in the Great War. But there are many facts like anecdotes, which is interesting.Literary agent is needed. Open the link to see pitch deck about the novel to present publishing company
There are ready for movie production author's adaptation screenplay on the base of the book.
Contact author of the book for offer to buy publishing rights: lsakharov@leokrut.com