- Rasputin’s Legacy Book One - 

by Troy Matthew Carnes

What if the two most ruthless mass murderers in the world wanted you dead?

Giorgi Lazarov is just a young boy, but he has a very special ability. He can predict the future. Until recently, no one knew that Giorgi’s remarkable gift was passed down to him from his famous grandfather, Grigori Rasputin.  But now, the two most dangerous men on earth are aware of his special power. Adolf Hitler learns of him through SS Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler’s most gifted witch, and Joseph Stalin discovers him when an insane prostitute languishing in an asylum claims to have borne Rasputin’s child.

Now, as the Nazi war machine invades the Soviet Union, launching the bloodiest conflict in human history, both Hitler and Stalin want the boy desperately. They send their most capable operatives to find him and either claim his powers for their cause or make certain that he does not live to help their enemy. When the Germans capture his village, Giorgi finds himself in a world of madness and utter evil where it seems there are only killers and corpses.

Giorgi is not alone; he has two unlikely helpers: Otto Brock, a German war hero, and Zoya Levonskaya, a Ukrainian peasant woman. Both have lost everything they care about to the war. Everything, that is, except for Giorgi. 

The people of Ukraine see no hope for salvation, but Giorgi can see everything . . .

REVIEWS:

“Rasputin’s Legacy is a well-researched, persuasive, and powerful novel about World War II in Russia.  It’s a moving story, complex and authoritative.”—Noel Polk, William Faulkner scholar, former professor of English at Mississippi State University, and author of more than twenty-five books.

"Rasputin's Legacy is a sweeping saga set against the dramatic backdrop of Germany's betrayal and turning against the Soviet Union in the later years of World War II. Author Troy Carnes masterfully brings into sharp focus the malevolent forces controlling the Third Reich and Russia. Both sides are focused on a win-at-all-cost strategy. Only one thing stands in their way: a nine-year-old boy with the power to foretell the future. Readers will be enthralled with this dazzling account of how honor and truth survive even in the darkest of times."—Sherye Green, author of Surviving Hitler, Evading Stalin

"Supremely riveting, Rasputin's Legacy is a dynamic page-turning thriller. Inexorably captivating, it is a cerebral tale of nonstop action and adventure. The highly recommended debut of what promises to be a stellar literary career." 5 out of 5 stars—Apex Reviews

"Fans of Tom Rob Smith's Child 44 and early Greg Iles should bundle up for a cold, brutal winter. When Troy Matthew Carnes is in the driver's seat, the action is served up blood-red on matching German and Russian platters. Rasputin's Legacy features evil at its most potent with a historical cast of monsters. Carnes's character-driven prose moves the story forward like a panzer force."—J.C. Patterson, Clarion Ledger literary critic 

"Rasputin's Legacy is a gripping page-turner to the very end."—Midwest Book Reviews

"I do not always like to read books about history, but when I read this book, I was captivated. I loved the book because the plot was great, and the characters were believable. The book was well-researched, and I felt that I was right there in the action. There was a lot of suspense, and the ending was just right. I wonder what book the author is working on now, and I hope that he continues to write in the future."—Melissa, Books-R-Us Reviews 

"Dudgeons and Daggers is a well-researched and expertly crafted thriller that will gratify the most hard-nosed fans of historical and political fiction. Troy Carnes has proved once again that he is not only a masterful storyteller, but a first-rate historian, as well."—Andrew C. Katen, author of Chaturanga

Page Count: 258
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Publish Date: January 28, 2026
Imprint: Milford House
Genre: Historical

FICTION/ Historical/ 20th Century / World War II & Holocaust
FICTION / Thrillers / Military
FICTION / Thrillers / Supernatural
FICTION / Thrillers / Historical