Maxym

Readers' Reviews and Remarks

All reviews and comments are genuine and unbiased and not influenced by financial reward.

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Recommend
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 June 2024
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Gripping from start to finish, a proper saga.
Characters you feel you know. It's got everything, war torn history, love, angst, blood and guns, politics, and a happy ending.
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Comment on LinkedIn, 24 May 2024
Patrick, the depth in Maxym's character shines through your storytelling. How do you maintain the balance between light and dark elements to create such compelling personas? Your narrative must spark intriguing discussions.

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Comment on LinkedIn, 1 May 2024
Patrick, the blend of brutality and tenderness in Maxym's story is captivating. It's remarkable how you've captured the essence of such a complex character

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Excellent Read
Reviewed in the United States on 15 April 2024
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The story is powerful, in its own way, well told, and cleverly constructed. I enjoyed it very much. The characters had depth, and held my empathy. the story breaks continuity. I highly recommend this book.

[I am uncertain what the reader means by breaking continuity. I suspect it's meant as a good thing. Perhaps ptdog will get in touch to clarify this. Thanks for the five star review. PCN.]

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One of the best books I've read
Reviewed in the United States on 14 Marchl 2024
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I devoured this book in days despite its length. I've never come across a character like Maxym; he is beautifully (and terrifyingly) complex. Outstanding writing from the author. The only reason it's not getting a perfect rating is because the editing needs more polishing.

[I suspect this reader was reading an early upload. Some minor errors have since been corrected. It's a shame that this reader did not get in touch, but thanks for the great review PCN.]

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Comment on LinkedIn, 18 December 2023
Fascinating character dynamics! Your storytelling prowess truly brings Maxym's complex persona to life – a gripping blend of charisma and darkness.

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Review by The Book Commentary
Reviewed 15 December 2023
Maxym by Patrick C. Notchtree takes readers on a gripping journey through the tumultuous life of its eponymous protagonist, a six-year-old survivor of a tragic attack on his family in war-ravaged Chechnya. The novel follows this character as he evolves from an innocent child to a complex figure shaped by vengeance, love, and a struggle with his own identity. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of a Russia plagued by homophobia, offering a poignant exploration of Maxym's internal conflicts, especially his conflicting emotions toward Muslims and his suppressed homosexuality The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of a Russia plagued by homophobia, offering a poignant exploration of Maxym's internal conflicts, especially his conflicting emotions toward Muslims and his suppressed homosexuality.

The author skillfully melds Maxym's personal struggles with the political climate of Putin's Russia, creating a narrative that is both intimate and sweeping in scope. Maxym's journey takes him across Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan, where he becomes a sought-after assassin amassing wealth and influence. The novel raises questions about Maxym's transformation and the impact of his traumatic past on his relationships, particularly his deep-seated hatred toward Muslims. The connection between Maxym and Thanatos, a master assassin working for Russia, is another intriguing plot point that augments the intrigue in this mesmerizing tale. Patrick C. Notchtree's Maxym is a spellbinding tale with mature themes and content that is explicit. The story has strong psychological underpinnings and characters that are sophisticated.

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From an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Maxym"
Reviewed in the United States on 2 November 2023
Words aren’t enough to describe how much I love this book. I have been and have loved reading for as long as I can remember, but I’ve never come across a character like Maxym Mikhailovich Ivanov ... I anticipated that Max’s traumatic childhood would affect him, but the author still blew me away with his portrayal of the complexities and nuances that made up Max. ... The book’s setting is mostly Russia, and while the characters spoke Russian, it was written in English. The author helpfully included a note at the beginning that actual English would be in italics. I honestly don’t know how he did it, but I could ‘hear’ the different languages. I could hear Russian—even when written in English. I could also hear when it switched to English, including the American accent. It is just more proof of the author’s superb writing skills.
Link to review
Author's note: The reviewer gave four rather than five stars because of some errors. I suspect an early version was used because the book was recently re-edited.

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A great enthralling story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 October 2023
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This fast moving and enthralling story had me hooked from the start. The events portrayed are sometimes brutal and other times touching and emotionally draining. I just wanted the story to go on and on. A great read - the best I’ve read for a long time.
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A truly fascinating and engaging book
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2023
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I very often read LGBTQ-themed books on the many plane flights I take and those long waits in airports - and Maxym was one of the most fascinating books I have read this year. The story is engaging with well developed characters, plus I learned a lot about Russian culture, history and modern Russian affairs. I highly recommend it!
Link to review

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excellent.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 September 2023
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Brilliant read. Very well written story. Great to think that boys like Maxym could exist. Hatsoff to the Author, Patrick

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Edge of the seat stuff
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 September 2023
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A really good read. Amazing life story stuff, from tender love to extreme military activity, but all the while with feeling and emotion.
Link to review

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Comment on LinkedIn, 19 Septemeber 2023
Overall, Maxym is a character who is both beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
Link to comment LinkedIn Comment

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fascinating
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 August 2023
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A fascinating, interesting well written book about the inside workings of Russian politics and indoctrination of the masses, along with family life and the horrors war brings. Add to this an understanding of the mind of the hero psychopath and the struggle with gay repression and you have a book reminiscent of a Tolstoy novel.

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A MUST read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 August 2023
Well written and well paced, difficult to put down it is so compelling. Very believable characters and plot - the attention to detail is outstanding. Has more twists and turns than a sleepless night but all believable and largely not expected or 'flagged' in advance. I do hope there is a sequel.....

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MAXYM
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 July 2023
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This is a rollicking good book packed with action and a real page-turner… What is unusual and interesting is the character's location in Russia, and although his flawless English is spoken in Italics, we read his native speech and see his view of his Russian culture through his eyes… Maxym's [shows] typically gay kindness and generosity, and concern for and understanding of other people. The accusation of being a psychopathic killer, and insensitive to others, actually runs counter to his behaviour towards his family and many friends, and the regard they have for him.
It remains for me a thoroughly compelling read, the twists and turns managed skilfully enough to keep me reading into the small hours just to find out how the book ends.
Full Review

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A riveting novel with a complex and compelling hero
Reviewed in Canada on 13 July 2023
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This novel is the tale of a young boy who endures unbearable trauma at age 6 and follows his maturity to about age 28. Owing to that trauma, Maxym becomes a psychopath with intense emotions, whether loyalty, love, sexuality, kindness, or cruelty and remorselessness. The narrative is quite riveting, it being drawn entirely from the viewpoint of Maxym, though written in third person. As is often the case with a deeply flawed hero, the reader becomes torn about an appropriate emotional response to a person with questionable morality that may differ diametrically from one’s own values. I found myself rooting for Maxym and worrying about his fate during the many very dangerous situations in which he finds himself. I am left wishing he were a real person whom I could meet one day. Though Maxym is gay and the writer does not shy from describing his varied encounters with a some degree of explicitness, I would recommend this novel to readers of any sexual orientation. His being gay adds to the complex person that is Maxym but, as he himself discusses with his best friend, represents a very small part of his life.

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It is, indeed, a page turner! I can see how he is at once charismatic and as scary as heck! He would give Putin a run for his money!
James Ian Anthony N, (on LinkedIn, July 2023)

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The fascinating twists and turns in this action-packed book will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Max, the main character, who defies conventional societal views on homosexuality, is my favorite. Despite being gay, Max was an alpha male who was not afraid of a challenge. He was ready to face challenges and excel in academics as well as military training.
I appreciate Maxym because he was dedicated to his academy and others despite all the obstacles in his path. Leonid is another favorite character because he cared for Maxym after all hope of a healthy life had been lost.
I rate the book five out of five stars because it has taught me how to deal with various challenges in life. I will recommend this book to everyone, especially those going through difficult times and those who have felt neglected and abandoned.
Full Review

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I throughly recommend this book, a story of love, war happiness and sadness, with an ending that I was not expecting.
Full Review (April 2023)

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I read this, loved it, when i started thought it was fiction, pretty interested and then i went to Amazon and found out it's inspired by true events, wow. just amazing.
Tony Delareto (on Facebook, March 2023)

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Every chapter has something to say and I found it difficult to put the book down for any length of time.
There are some graphic descriptions of violence and gay sex, so if you're easily offended by such things this is not the book for you. However, if you accept that these scenes are absolutely essential to the storyline, you'll find yourself immersed in Maxym's world and cheering him on.
Full Review (March 2023)

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I've just finished reading chapter 1 of this book. To say it gets off to a great start would be a massive understatement!
It's a long book, but I can see a mega reading session is on the cards this afternoon/evening.
(Twitter comment days after release. March 2023)

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In the interest of balance and fairness I should point out that there are also a couple of poor reviews. Well, you can't please everybody. One reader said it was too unbelievable. (When I mentioned that to 'Maxym' he said that was good - better security.) Also that reader had not made the 'George' connection.
Another reader said it was overwhelmingly tedious, one murder after another as though written by a 12 year old. (I wish I were 12 again!) That reader didn't finish the book so perhaps didn't get the full picture.