An incident on Simonka

10 reviews
$8.98
 

R H Auslander has woven an interesting tale of Sevastopol in late February 2014. The author’s extensive knowledge of the tactics and protocol of both the Russian and NATO side of the event becomes clear as the story unfolds, as does his knowledge of Russian culture.

The fate in early March of the NATO forces stationed in Fiodosya on the south coast of Krimea is known, but what happened to the NATO enclave in Sevastopol in February? The US Marines in the enclave, located on Ulitsya Simonok in Rahdio Gorka Region on north side of the harbor, had been ordered at dawn on 23 February by the Sevastopol government to leave the city in two days, which they refused to do. They were gone from Sevastopol and Krimea by sunrise of 24 February.

In Soviet times, readers of the news were adept at reading the news and finding the nuggets of truth. That skill is useful when reading this tale. Is this story true? Only the author, and those who may or may not have been involved in an event that may or may not have happened, know for sure.

Available for purchase on Amazon in paperback, $8.98. 119 pages. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1696160715

Available for purchase on Amazon in Kindle ebook, $6.95 119 pages. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ERKH3IU

Available from the author, Electronic edition via PDF file. Please email for purchase via contact email. Payment via paypal only except in Russia, where other payment methods are available. $6.95 R 507.35.

Contact email:

neverthelastone@mail.ru

etoarmor@yahoo.com

Anon 05/14/2019, 18:54
April 30, 2018.
I read Incident On Simonka from a copy sent to me by Auslander. I can’t put this review on amazon, we don’t have it here, but I give it top marks. Here is my take on this book.

This is not an ordinary book or story, neither is it told in an ordinary fashion. And it isn’t a book about ordinary circumstances either. The events described in the book have a close resemblance to actual events that did go down. For someone who was briefly associated with the events in Crimea, it fells like a stroll down memory lane. The book doesn’t unfold like a book but rather like an experience. I am very glad Auslander was kind enough to give me a copy to read.
Ed Walsh 05/14/2019, 18:53
April 29,2016
A Tantalizing Introduction to Auslander’s Second Book
An Incident at Simonka

What a pleasure to be back with these characters we first met in “Never the Last One”. That being a full length book, the characters had plenty of space to develop and many of them were indelibly drawn: very unique, unfailingly interesting, and some seemingly bigger than life. Readers who have not read the first book will still enjoy a good read, but will not have the back story on the characters. The characters who are new with this book are very real. The ones who are arrayed against the Russians are not depicted as evil or nasty, but rather as people who are on the opposing side. They are treated with a soldier’s respect for his opponents, who are simply following their orders, too. But they are each distinct personalities. I felt glad to meet them and hear what they had to say.

Well, for readers of the first book, our old friends are back, all summoned to respond to a crisis in their shared and beloved city of Sevastopol. This being a very short book, they each get less exposure, but all my favorites take part in the action.

And action we get into right away. With only a day’s notice they must plan, practice, and execute a very dangerous mission to save their home city, and maybe a big chunk of Russia, from falling into enemy hands.

The author is a skilled story teller with a sure hand in directing action scenes, and plotting a very plausible story. Very plausible and quite relevant. This reviewer believes that something along the lines of this story actually happened – or maybe almost happened.

The story line is well structured, with roughly a chapter each presenting (1) the assault and capture operation itself, (2) the careful business of returning captured soldiers to a US Navy ship standing offshore, (3) the after the event analysis on-board the Navy ship – which reveals to the reader many interesting things, and (4) various personal impacts, mainly centering on a young, pretty, and foolish Russian girl who was living with one of the coup plotters, and also managed to fall in love with a handsome young Russian naval officer. Action, romance, individual people participating in large scale historical events. You are not missing anything, except the rest of the book.
Johnny R. 05/14/2019, 18:51
September 25, 2017
Don’t read this book!
If you do, then you will find it necessary to read the full story, “Never the Last One” by the same author. When you start reading it, you can’t put it down, so it may have a serious impact on your life! Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

You see, I did this, I started with “An Incident…” and found it so engaging and interested that I had to continue. Lots of good info in both these books for those who are not brain-washed into being “anti Russian”.
WL 05/14/2019, 18:49
December 8, 2017
A page turner. Highly recommended.
Paul D. Meyer 05/14/2019, 18:47
Paul D. Meyer
August 12, 2017
Fun as well as informative!
Great story line with excellent insight into probable events in Crimea during the coup d’etat in Kiev!
Anon 05/14/2019, 18:45
September 28, 2016
Short, good suspense story.
Anon 05/14/2019, 18:40
21.04.17
I have read ‘Incident On Simonka’ from beginning to end in one go.
During the read I had pictures from the ‘Crimea. Way back Home.’
documentary in my mind. Even your book is fiction; in reality it is more
than that: Your book is a reality tour de force on steroids in helping
to understand the Russian World. The minute details laid out through
your writing have not left my mind. Well done, Auslander!

In my former life I had a German Government security clearance. I know
one or two things how US/NATO operates in Germany.

Nough said.
Babushka from Oz 05/13/2019, 19:22
Babushka in Oz
Skillful waeving of facts into fiction
April 30, 2016
Auslander has skilfully woven the facts of recent events in Crimea and Sevastopol (following the coup in Kiev) into a fast paced fiction. In Soviet times listeners of the news became very adept at reading between the lines and sifting out the hidden nuggets of truth. The same craft is required in reading Auslander’s short story. I was engaged and enthralled and with family living in Sevastopol, the story was particularly relevant. I look forward to more revealing ‘incidents’. I love the characters – they are ‘so Russian’.
John Neal Spangler 03/20/2019, 16:54
John Neal Spangler
Interesting "novel'
Good insight into Russian thinking , particularly the Russian military. Very good description of Crimea and some perhaps operation. Enjoyable read, if you like military affairs.
Alan 01/28/2019, 16:38
Allan

Interesting book. Makes me wonder how much is 'fiction' and how much is truth.
19 February 2019
Similarities to actual events in Crimea and Sevastopol.

"You see, we don’t like you, we don’t like the idea of you being in our city and we know what you are here for. It will not work, Tovarich Kapitan, it will not work. Why is your ship, his name is Klakring, thirty kilometers west of our harbor? Is he there to bring you more Marines so you can try to take my city? I am not the one who is insane, my good Marine, you are the one who is insane, you and your superior officers who ordered you to come to my city. You have been in my city for almost six months, some of your now prisoner comrades have been here for a year. You learned nothing while you were here? You believed your own propaganda about us?”

“Know this, Marine. We will fight you, if needs be we will fight you alone and to the death. You may take this city but what you will get is a smoking ruin where we will fight you for every house, every cottage, every wall, every back alley, every window, every hill, every ditch and every dacha garden. You will be safe nowhere. Sevastopol will be your grave, Marine, you and all of your comrades, it will make Stalingrad look like a kindergarten tea party. Now you wait right here, I must check on your wounded.” She gave him a sweet smile as she stood.