Citizen Orlov written by Jonathan Payne and narrated by Tim Campbell is an Orwellian Satire whereby a humble Fishmongers assistant rises to the position of Minister of Security. The distance between the two vocations is extensive enough, but the path between them is a route of espionage, intrigue, mistaken identity and duplicity, all resulting from just one phone call

Orlov is a fantastic protagonist, just going with the flow, trying to do the right thing and really not the sharpest tool in the shed. I admit to chuckling each time the author mentioned him "lumbering". I also liked Venev, Orlov's boss the fishmonger, and also comrade of the Peoples front. The Mata Hari of the tale is quite the villainess and she keeps Orlov tied up in knots at every turn, not least by having his mother kidnapped. But how does he rise to being the Minister of Security, and where does a misplaced bomb plot fit in?

The audiobook is simply brilliant and had me captivated throughout. Campbell flits easily between gender, character and cadence, meeting each turn in the narrative with ease. A really enjoyable listen

Jonathan Payne is hilarious while still conveying a deeper observation of dystopic authoritarian social structures which are also evident in certain contemporary soceities. I was utterly intrigued and would recommend this book highly. Brilliant!

Thank you to Netgalley, Camcat Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks and the brilliant author Jonathan Payne and narrator Tim Campbell for this highly entertaining and thought-provoking ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

Citizen Orlov is a satirical spin on an espionage story. Orlov is an honest man and a simple fish monger, but when he answers an annoying ringing phone he ends up getting himself wrapped up in a crazy plot against the king. It sounds so simple at first, take a message and deliver it to an agent, but things keep going wrong, and he finds himself getting mixed up deeper and deeper with no real chance to exit the crazy path he finds himself on. The overall story is enjoyable, though it moved a little slow for my taste. That may be due to Payne’s writing style. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with the writing, it just felt rather passive. Even at moments that should be ‘intense’ it comes off as a bit too relaxed, to much like a clinical report of what is happening rather than feeling like being right in the middle of the action. I’d like to thank CamCat Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of the audio version of Citizen Orlov.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3LMXIRH3ANLVO/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Jonathan Payne's 'Citizen Orlov' is a delightful romp through the world of espionage, with an unlikely hero at its center. When ordinary fishmonger Citizen Orlov receives a mysterious phone call, he is thrust into a thrilling adventure filled with intrigue and danger. As Orlov navigates the twists and turns of espionage, readers are treated to a charming and humorous tale of an ordinary man thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Payne's writing is sharp and witty, and he expertly blends elements of spy fiction with comedic flair. 'Citizen Orlov' is a captivating read from start to finish, guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

I really liked the way this one began and was thoroughly engaged for about the first half - then, I must confess I found it to start dragging on... The Kafka-esque drama, the awkwardness, the serendipity, and the stumbling-into-trouble nature of the narrative started to feel redundant and like things were not progressing so much as shifting from bad to worse... I suppose much of that was intentional, but it did start to wear on me after a while. Still it was farcical enough to be entertaining - I just wish it had perhaps been a bit shorter, in keeping with the more focused narrative of the first half.

Review of “Citizen Orlov”

By: Jonathan Payne

Check it Out on Goodreads!!

Disclaimer: Please note that I received an Audio ARC from Netgalley and CamCat Books, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

⭐⭐☆☆☆

So, “Citizen Orlov” by Jonathan Payne is okay. There’s plenty of action and twists to keep things moving along, but it never really grabbed me.

One thing worth mentioning is that I listened to the audio version, and maybe that’s why it didn’t click for me. It felt like I missed that connection to the story, so I couldn’t fully immerse myself in the world being built around me. The upside of this book is that the pace is fast, preventing any dull moments. (if that contradiction makes any sense?)

“Citizen Orlov” is a decent read for spy thriller enthusiasts, but it might not exceed your expectations. I suggest trying it out, but consider getting the physical/digital version instead of the audio release.

Get it at…

📗 - Hard Copy -📗

Your Local Canadian Book Seller

Indigo

Amazon Canada - (Currently Out of Stock at the Time of Review)

📱 - Digital - 📱

Kobo - Free on Kobo Plus

Kindle

🎧 - Audio - 🎧

Audible

Libro.FM

I picked this book as it was under the category of humor, and I wanted to try something a little different. Unfortunately, this book was just not for me. However, I can see how some would enjoy this book and the writing style. I was bored and found it weird the main character just kept going along with the events happening.

Bluffs, double bluffs and more as what begins life as a simple attempt to pass on a message, triggers a misunderstanding followed by deception, blackmail and conspiracies. A chaotic whirlwind of non-answers and spin doctors, it's quite the distraction.

I did enjoy this one! It was a good mystery and a quick one. It definitely had some twists at the end that I was not expecting. I thought the audio was great!