The Death of Achilles

The Death of Achilles by Boris Akunin

Boris Akunin has written 11 mysteries with Erast Petrovich Fandorin, the detective reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes, although Fandorin also engages in violence in these stories. This is the fourth that has been translated. This book is interesting because the story is told in two separate parts. The first part is told from the perspective of Fandorin, as the previous books have been. However, the second part of the book is told from the perspective of Achimas Welde, Fandorin's adversary. In this book, Achimas is the far more interesting character, and is portrayed from a sympathetic viewpoint. These books are set in the Russia of the 1880s, and in each one, Fandorin is the protector of the Motherland. However, in this book, Achimas is also the protector of the Motherland, as he has been retained by the rulers to eliminate a military general who is a national hero, but who is leading a military overthrow of the government. Fandorin investigates, despite being ordered not to and even placed under house arrest to prevent his investigation from proceeding. As in all of the Fandorin mysteries, a beautiful woman is an integral part of the plot, and in this case, innocently so. The book is filled with murders and suspense, and danger for the innocent. Akunin informs the reader of the truth through Achimas, the killer, and builds sympathy for a happy outcome both for Achimas and the beautiful Wanda. However, in the end, Akunin chooses death for Achimas, while Achimas saves Wanda. I have now read the four Fandorin mysteries, and I will continue to read them as they are translated from Russian. However, I find them unsatisfying in some ways. First, Akunin finds it necessary to resort to fantasy in places that is a distraction and lessens the quality of the story. In addition, Akunin includes scenes that are completely out of character for his protagonists, also diminishing the quality of the story. And finally, Akunin always includes the death of sympathetic characters, and needlessly so. The books are entertaining, and interesting up to a point, but never rise above the level of "beach reading".