Paul Rogov's Blog

Paul Rogov's The Fallen Years is a strident, impressive debut from a promising literary talent who has obviously steeped himself in both the classics of Russian literature and the contemporary offerings of European authors such as W. G. Sebald, Vladimir Nabokov, and Primo Levi. Like these authors, Rogov -- by means of his protagonist, Gregory -- wrestles with the "void at the heart of twentieth-century Europe," as Gregory fights to survive the seeming meaninglessness of the ideologically controversial Soviet-Afghan war. Rogov, however, already possesses his own confident prose style that flashes brilliantly with unforced lyricism; he is a unique, ambitious writer with what is sure to be a fascinating literary future ahead of him.”