I have finished reading Beware the Wolves. Congratulations on a great book. You write well and relay a great story. Your parents really lived through some hard times. It sounds like they were a great couple. It is especially wonderful that you preserved their story.
Carl Bartecchi

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– Erin E. Dorney - Historical Novel Society Review Online

Showcasing the true story of Victor Moss’s parents during the 1941 Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, Beware the Wolves is a depiction of wartime endurance and commitment. Moss’s father, Vladimir Moskalkov, serves as a medical doctor in the Soviet army and is subsequently captured as a prisoner of war during the Nazi takeover. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to him, Vladimir’s new wife Slava is forced to become a translator for the very people who have captured her husband. Vladimir takes his medical status undercover in order to survive the POW camps, witnessing his colleagues shot on spot due to their officer status. However, he surreptitiously continues to use his medical training to help other POWs around him. Ceaseless hunger and abuse bring Vladimir to the brink of death time and time again, as he keeps Slava’s picture close by with never-ending hope that they will be reunited. Slava bears the brunt of sustaining her parents and household in war-shocked Vitebsk, taking incredible risks to hear any news of her beloved husband. Subjected to unwanted attention from German officers, Slava does her best to carry on in light of dwindling supplies, frequent bombings, raiding, and a heart wrenching separation from her mother and father.

As with any truly riveting story, Beware the Wolves will have readers anticipating each new page, anxious for words to reveal how Vladimir and Slava will be liberated. But unlike other enthralling tales, the truthful credence Moss, as a son born in Nazi-occupied Poland, lends is unmatched. Beware the Wolves has definite film potential.

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A Must Read - J. Weingarten,MD, A reviewer, 08/15/2008

A superbly written, easily read, fact filled story about the beginning of WWII in Russia and the invasion’s impact on a newly married couple and their Russian society. The author is the son of the main characters and touchingly relates this saga balancing personal and at times heart wrenching stories of the German invasion, his parents love story and Russian society. Battle descriptions are related with an interesting emphasis on the medical side as his father is a physician. This is not just another WWII story nor just another love story. It is a unique and fascinating weave of both binding the reader though empathy. A Must Read. J. Weingarten, MD

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“I just finished reading “Beware The Wolves”. . . The story is incredibly touching. Your parents love, determination, and strength is such a model for us all. Thank you for sharing it. It is always profoundly amazing to see how life unfolds and connects paths. I’m ready for Book II!” Brenda Baker

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“Your beautiful story of the meeting, marriage, separation and reuniting of your parents during the Nazi occupation of Byelorussia was read with much empathy for the terrible suffering that those who survived endured. I thoroughly enjoyed your excellent style of describing the conditions of war that separated Vladys and Vladimir, and the strength of their resolve to find each other again. Congratulations to you on your work in bringing this story to us. I hope that a sequel is in the making, and that you will continue to tell more of your family’s history. Our best wishes for Beware the Wolves to become a movie.’ Jack Boggess -Sonoita, AZ - March 2008

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July 16, 2007 Jerry Larson, Esq.

Once I got started reading your book I could not put it down. It is an amazing story. I look forward to the movie and to hearing the rest of the story of your family. You book reminds me of how blessed we are to live in America.

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Whirl Wind of Love and War, July 15, 2007 - Amy (Orange County, California)

Beware the Wolves is a tragic yet beautiful story based on a real life experience that was touchingly written with sincerity and devotion to its characters. It depicts the horrors of World War II and, most importantly, the strength and power of love. It is an inspiring story that I contemplate months after having read it and strongly recommend to all.

I passed my copy along to my grandfather who could not put into words the emotion he felt when reading it.

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“. . .just wanted you to know how much I enjoyed your book, Beware the Wolves. I found it difficult to put it down once I started reading it. This tribute to your parents is excellently written. . . ” Arlene Raigoza

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In BEWARE THE WOLVES: A Soviet WWII Story, author Victor Moss’s enjoyable authorial voice rings through without being intrusive or overwhelming. His meticulous research is apparent and gives the prose the feel of truth. The plot that follows his parent’s story is intriguing and is sure to capture the reader. The balance between dialog/action/narrative is good, lending the story a good sense of pacing. The story moves along at an appropriate pace and the reader feels compelled to turn the pages. Readers who enjoy their fiction accompanied by the ring of authenticity will be sure to enjoy BEWARE THE WOLVES: A Soviet WWII Story.
Writer’s Digest Book Review

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Attorney Moss writes novel about parents’ WWII struggles

By MARVIN READ - THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

Pueblo attorney Vic Moss has written a semi-fictional novel about his parents’ struggles in Byelorussia as they struggled first with Soviet, then Nazi domination.

“Beware the Wolves: A Soviet WWII Story” has been on the market for nearly a year.

It tells the story of Vladimir, a physician, and Vladyslava Moss, a medical student, as they were individually pressed into service by the Red Army and separated.

As Moss, the author said, “Neither heard from the other for 17 months nor knew whether the other was alive. But because of their strong love for each other, their education, talent, or maybe just plain fate, I’m here today.”

“Beware the Wolves” is not just history, nor just a war story, and not a romance novel in the typical sense of that type of novel.

Yet all three genres are intertwined with the main characters; love for each other and their determination to see each other again.

Said Moss, “When I was a small boy, growing up in Oklahoma and later in Kansas, my parents told me bits and pieces of their life in Europe, especially under communism and the German occupation.

“My father’s favorite story seemed to be of how he met my mother. He told me that he melted when he first saw her - love at first sight. My mom would tease him, wink at me and say, Not so fast. I was too young to be married. She was 19 and he was 25.

“But the stories I found to be most fascinating were my father’s war stories. He never dwelled much on the war, but when he did, he relayed some of his experience with his commanders and soldiers, the battles he witnessed and the brutality he encountered as a prisoner of war.”

Moss’ father was Russian Orthodox, and his mother a Roman Catholic, but the differences between their faith didn’t seem to affect the quality of their relationship, either before or during marriage.

Moss did not attempt to write a history of the time, but a description of the war from his parents’; perspective - “What they saw, heard, smelled and touched through their senses,” he said.

The book, at $17.95, is available at Moss’ office, 311 W. 24th St.; at Golden Leaf Creations, 711 W. 29th St.; at The Bookery, 129 E. Abriendo Ave.; or online at www.bewarethewolves.com .

Editor’s Note: Beware the Wolves: A Soviet World War II Story was published in the spring of 2006.

Vladimir was drafted into the Red Army while his wife, Vladyslava remained behind in their hometown of Vitebsk.

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By: Alex Gorelik - about.com
Beware the Wolves, A Soviet WWII Story by Victor Moss follows two young lovers through the horrors of the war-torn Soviet Union. It focuses on Captain Vladmir Moskalkov, a doctor recruited to practice medicine at the western front, and his young wife Vladyslava (Slava) as they struggle to survive German invasion and occupation. Separated by the war, they must find one another against incredible odds and suffer atrocities that can turn men into animals.

Victor Moss based Beware the Wolves on the lives of his parents, as a tribute to their heroism and their will to live. The story is well researched, a fascinating historical account of the struggle to keep the Germans from reaching Moscow by way of Vyazma and Yelna - two major cities on the main highway, M1, between Poland and Moscow. It is an indictment of the inhumanity of totalitarian nations, both German and Soviet, and a tribute to the humanity of people in desperate situations. In response to a question from Vladmir asking why the Soviets always take defensive positions even when the Germans have stretched themselves too thin, Captain Markov, a drunk complains of Stalin’s control over the battle, “You better ask that of Comrade Stalin, who is telling our generals how to run this war.”

Moss discusses the weaknesses of the ill-prepared and poorly directed Soviet army. He talks about the low morale of the soldiers and Stalin’s unwillingness to let his generals lead. He explores the dehumanizing tactics implored by the German soldiers that enabled them to turn their prisoners into animals, making their enemy easier to slaughter for the boys acting as soldiers. “All this time as he crawled on the ground on all fours, he heard laughter from the guards. The German soldiers repeatedly referred to the captives as subhuman. Because they were so, they could be treated like animals.” Moss also occasionally explores the confusion, the loneliness, and the contradictions that the German soldiers feel as occupiers among civilian Soviets.

Beware the Wolves is a fast-paced book with plenty of battle scenes and detailed descriptions of war-time medicine. . . . the story propels the reader to turn the pages and read on to the end. At its core, Beware the Wolves is a story of lovers and of survival against the odds, and it is well worth the read.

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Bryan Gallagher, A reviewer, August 3, 2006, 5 out of 5 stars

I couldn’t put it down the first time, after I finish reading it again, I’ll be looking for the sequel.

Beware of the Wolves this book grabs your attention in the 1st chapter by the 2nd it completely captures you. Written with passion, it is the plight of the author’s parents, newlyweds in Russia during the Nazis invasion. Part thriller, part love story, the book details their separation, occupation, capture, and I don’t want to ruin the ending for you! Intense. You find yourself reading faster and faster as the mystery unfolds. I actually took a day off work to finish the book.

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A reviewer, a historical novel lover., July 24, 2006, 5 out of 5 stars
Hope a sequel is in the works!

BEWARE THE WOLVES is a must read for anyone interested in World War II history or its dramatic and romantic sequences. I was amazed at the detail of the author’s descriptions of events, characters and feelings. All of the information was historically accurate yet phrased in the most humane manner possible. This is one of the best ways to study one of the most horrific periods of modern times. I didn’t want it to end! Bring on the sequel, Mr. Moss.

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A reviewer, July 14, 2006, 5 out of 5 stars

HISTORY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THOSE WHO LIVED IT!! GREAT STORY!

A compelling book based on the lives of the author’s parents as a young married couple in Eastern Europe in the early 1940’s, Beware the Wolves, a Soviet WWII Story reflects the love and determination of a young family. This historic novel from a soviet perspective conveys the perils of war and the enduring love of family separated by war. It touches the heart and soul of the reader in a way few books do. It is a reminder that with determination, a little luck, and friends in high places the human spirit can triumph over adversity. It is history from the perspective of those who lived it! Not a book filled with facts and statistics, but a story of love, courage, and determination in the face of interminable odds. A Must Read!

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“I just finished reading the book. . . . All I can say is WOW, what a great book!” Mike Davis - April 25, 2008

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“I truly enjoyed reading “Beware the Wolves.” At Rotary this week, I asked the members at our table if they had read it and several said they had and that they really enjoyed it. Greg Cottrell shared my feeling, and that was that it was difficult to stop reading. You did a wonderful job of building suspense for one parent while following the other parent for a chapter or two. Great history, too! I had to get out our world atlas and review locations, too. This should make a great movie!” Tom Buck - Centennial, CO - March 2008

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“Your beautiful story of the meeting, marriage, separation and reuniting of your parents during the Nazi occupation of Byelorussia was read with much empathy for the terrible suffering that those who survived endured. I thoroughly enjoyed your excellent style of describing the conditions of war that separated Vladys and Vladimir, and the strength of their resolve to find each other again. Congratulations to you on your work in bringing this story to us. I hope that a sequel is in the making, and that you will continue to tell more of your family’s history. Our best wishes for Beware the Wolves to become a movie.’ Jack Boggess -Sonoita, AZ - March 2008 * * * * * July 16, 2007 Jerry Larson, Esq. Once I got started reading your book I could not put it down. It is an amazing story. I look forward to the movie and to hearing the rest of the story of your family. You book reminds me of how blessed we are to live in America.

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Whirl Wind of Love and War, July 15, 2007 By Amy (Orange County, California) Beware the Wolves is a tragic yet beautiful story based on a real life experience that was touchingly written with sincerity and devotion to its characters. It depicts the horrors of World War II and, most importantly, the strength and power of love. It is an inspiring story that I contemplate months after having read it and strongly recommend to all. I passed my copy along to my grandfather who could not put into words the emotion he felt when reading it.