Roman Zlotnikov, Alexey Makhrov
Conversation with the Leader
© Zlotnikov R., Makhrov A., 2015
© Design. LLC "Publishing House" E ", 2015
* * *When the phone rang, I was slowly and sadly moving in a traffic jam along the Riga overpass. So, despite the strict ban on traffic rules, I did not see anything shameful in answering. Moreover, judging by the signature that appeared on the screen, it was my old friend and colleague Volodya, nicknamed Batonych, who called. He was an avid fisherman and spent all his holidays doing what he loved. Well, he really wanted to attach me to this. I am an ordinary office plankton and prefer to relax, lying on the beach in more or less remote southern countries and lazily sipping an ice cocktail through a plastic straw. So usually these stages of our life took place in completely opposite ends of our world, which has become so small today. However, once I succumbed to the persuasion of Batonych and his statement that “you will never forget this vacation”, and went with him to Akhtuba, to the tent ... Well, what can I say - Batonych turned out to be absolutely right. Because I will never forget that vacation. Because he returned from it broken, with a cold (a week before the end of our "rest" the weather deteriorated sharply) and with a swollen leg from a festering cut. After that, he resolutely declared to Volodya that fishing is, of course, good, but obviously not for me. However, Batonych was truly inspired by that incident. He set out to prove to me that fishing is just a dream and that I was just unlucky that time. So, having calmed down for a while, he then again began to convince me that a fishing trip is by no means always the absence of the comfort I so desired. And here, for example, in Finland ...
- Listen, Batonych!
Something rustled in the receiver, but there was no continuation. I sighed and spoke.
– Volodya, I’m driving now, although I’m in a traffic jam, but I can see a gap ahead, so I can’t talk for a long time. So if you start your song again about a fishing trip to Finland or Ireland there, you can calm down. I'm already on my way to Spain, to the Costa Blanca, to Benidorm. Hotel "Grand Dolphin", four stars - everything I like. This morning I gave all the documents and passport to the travel agency. So I will not go to Finland, or to Ireland, or even to the Caribbean with you. That’s all, for now, - I joyfully barked into the phone and already reached out with my finger to the end call button, when suddenly a voice that was not Volodya’s was heard from the speaker:
- And what kind of people's commissariat do you work in?
I shuddered and stared at the screen of my Samsung (I don't use an iPhone on principle - I don't want to support an American manufacturer). On the screen clearly shone: "Batonych." Damn, cell phone glitches? Probably. But from the speech breathed something familiar. Yes, and the People's Commissariat ... I laughed briefly:
- Do you work under Joseph Vissarionovich? And what does it look like. Well, I don’t know about Stalin himself, but I’m quite drawn to the way Zakariadze portrayed him in Liberation.
There was silence in the receiver for a few more moments, and then they asked cautiously:
“What is… liberation?”
Ahead, the traffic stalled again, so I decided not to interrupt such a funny developing conversation and continued:
Well, it's like a movie epic. Several films with the same characters. Don't remember? Strange ... Judging by your voice, you are clearly aged, so you should remember. It was shown for the first time in the seventies.
– In the seventies? - even more cautiously specified in the tube.
- Well, yes. Then they repeated it several times on TV. Either by the twenty-third of February, or by the ninth of May. I was just at school. Very impressed. Now they don't shoot like that. They don’t know how, and a lot of money is needed for such shootings. They hardly pull.
“By the ninth of May?”
- Well, yes, on Victory Day.
There was silence again for a while, and then they asked quietly:
– Where are you now?
“I’m standing in a traffic jam on the Riga overpass,” I answered in bewilderment.
- And the Riga overpass - what is it?
I laughed nervously. Is he abnormal? However, perhaps it is. Crazy, really representing himself as Stalin. Well, there are all sorts of people who consider themselves Napoleon, here and here ...
“Listen,” I began angrily, “don't you know where the Riga overpass is? You're stupid? Or did they completely play their Stalin? In this case, you need to go to Kashchenko. Go to hell! - I angrily smeared my finger on the virtual button with the red handset and dropped the mobile phone
Conversation with the Leader - 1
When the phone rang, I was slowly and sadly moving in a traffic jam along the Riga overpass. So, despite the strict ban on traffic rules, I did not see anything shameful in answering. Moreover, judging by the signature that appeared on the screen, it was my old friend and colleague Volodya, nicknamed Batonych, who called. He was an avid fisherman and spent all his holidays doing what he loved. Well, he really wanted to attach me to this. I am an ordinary office plankton and prefer to relax, lying on the beach in more or less remote southern countries and lazily sipping an ice cocktail through a plastic straw. So usually these stages of our life took place in completely opposite ends of our world, which has become so small today. However, once I succumbed to the persuasion of Batonych and his statement that “you will never forget this vacation”, and went with him to Akhtuba, to the tent ... Well, what can I say - Batonych turned out to be absolutely right. Because I will never forget that vacation. Because he returned from it broken, with a cold (a week before the end of our "rest" the weather deteriorated sharply) and with a swollen leg from a festering cut. After that, he resolutely declared to Volodya that fishing is, of course, good, but obviously not for me. However, Batonych was truly inspired by that incident. He set out to prove to me that fishing is just a dream and that I was just unlucky that time. So, having calmed down for a while, he then again began to convince me that a fishing trip is by no means always the absence of the comfort I so desired. And here, for example, in Finland ...
Listen, Batonych!
Something rustled in the receiver, but there was no continuation. I sighed and spoke.
Volodya, I'm driving now, although I'm in a traffic jam, but I can see a gap ahead, so I can't talk for a long time. So if you start your song again about a fishing trip to Finland or Ireland there, you can calm down. I'm already on my way to Spain, to the Costa Blanca, to Benidorm. Grand Dolphin Hotel, four stars - everything I like. This morning I gave all the documents and passport to the travel agency. So I will not go to Finland, or to Ireland, or even to the Caribbean with you. That's all, for now, - I joyfully barked into the phone and already reached out with my finger to the end call button, when suddenly a voice that was not Volodya's was heard from the speaker:
What kind of drug commissariat do you work for?
I shuddered and stared at the screen of my Samsung (I don't use an iPhone on principle - I don't want to support an American manufacturer). On the screen clearly shone: "Batonych." Damn, cell phone glitches? Probably. But from the speech breathed something familiar. Yes, and the People's Commissariat ... I laughed briefly:
Do you work under Joseph Vissarionovich? And what does it look like. Well, I don’t know about Stalin himself, but I’m quite drawn to the way Zakariadze portrayed him in Liberation.
There was silence in the receiver for a few more moments, and then they asked cautiously:
What is... liberation?
Ahead, the traffic stalled again, so I decided not to interrupt such a funny developing conversation and continued:
Well, it's a movie epic.
Alexey Makhrov
Year of publication of the first book: 2015
Roman Zlotnikov's cycle "A Conversation with the Leader" was written in collaboration with the aspiring writer Alexei Makhrov. The first book in this series was published in 2015. Well, on this moment The series consists of three books, each of which has received a lot of rave reviews from fans of alternative history. This series of books once again confirmed that Roman Zlotnikov knowingly occupies a high place in ours. And the writer himself is able to write equally interestingly in a wide variety of genres.
The plot of the series of books "Conversation with the leader" briefly
But as it turned out, the adventures of the protagonist of Zlotnikov's books "A Conversation with the Leader" are just beginning. His trip to the reconstruction of the beginning of the war ended with the fact that he himself ended up on June 22, 1941 near Brest. And now he's about to do something incredible. He needs to get out of the maelstrom of war and meet with Stalin. After all, his knowledge, as in the books of the series, will surely help to end this war faster and with fewer losses. Well, the experience gained during the Chechen campaign will help this once office plankton overcome all difficulties. Even death can't stop him now. What can we say about some kind of captivity in which our main character in Zlotnikov's last book "Meeting with the Leader".
As for the series of Roman Zlotnikov's "Conversation with the Leader" reviews, they are mostly positive. Yes, there are many flaws and absurdities in the books, both regarding historical and technical points. Yes, the book contains glorification of some controversial historical characters. But the fascinating plot, the style of the writer and a certain novelty of the topic allow you to plunge headlong into this alternative world. In this regard, the book "Meeting with the Leader" by Zlotnikov, as well as the entire series "Conversation with the Leader" should definitely be read by all fans of alternative history and simply good books about hits.
A series of books "Conversation with the Leader" on the site Top books
A series of books by Roman Zlotnikov "Conversation with the Leader" became especially popular to read after the release of the last third book "Meeting with the Leader". This allowed her to get into ours, as well as take a high place among. And given that the series is not over yet, this is far from the limit. And soon we will be able to see a cycle among in the ratings of our site. Moreover, already in May 2018, Zlotnikov’s new book “Voice of the Leader” was published.
Books in the Conversation with the Leader series, in order:
- Conversation with the Leader
- Road to Leader
- Meeting with the Leader
- Voice of the Leader
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