Roman Alexander Gerus

Roman Gerus is an active member of the Ukrainian-American community as a member of the Ukrainian National Association and his participation in Ukrainian schools, functions and festivals including touring the New Jersey-New York-Connecticut tri-state area and Ukraine with his Ukrainian dance ensembles Barvinok and Yunist. Graduating from Rutgers University with a Journalism Major and Creative Writing Minor, Roman has written for various university and independent publications. He currently resides in New Jersey.

"LAST TRAIN TO KENGIR" is my newest book about the harrowing story of the largest gulag revolt lead by prisoners of the infamous Steplag (a.k.a. "Kengir") gulag in central Kazakhstan in 1954. In this historical fiction novel, I pay homage to this heroic struggle, also recounted by Solzhenitsyn in "The Forty Days of Kengir". I can connect a direct line from their bravery to the current struggle against Russia's tyranny against Ukraine, with the Ukrainians still spearheading the charge with the help of their Eastern European and Asian comrades so many years ago.

Judge, 33rd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards: This book is exemplary in its voice and writing style. It has a unique voice, and the writing style is consistent throughout. The style and tone are also consistent with or will appeal to readers of the intended genre.

The Prologue offers a clear, concise historic setting and introduction to the story. Readers who enjoy emotionally intense and dramatic stories, in the vein of those like The Diary of Anne Frank, will find much to enjoy, as will fans of European history after WWII, Hitler, and Stalin. The inclusion of the meaning of italicized vocabulary words a reader is not likely to understand within the text is an incredibly helpful resource. This is equally explained to the reader in a way that is not condescending.

*The "BROTHERS OF COSSACK METTLE" series: Book One: Ukraine; Book Two: Homeland Lost are both available in Ebook and Paperback editions which include a "Glossary of Terms" of cultural and historical importance!

Judge, 30th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards: Brothers of Cossack Mettle: Ukraine: "The glossary at the end is quite helpful. The descriptions of the elements are well done. This reader could feel the coldness of the air. The dialogue is well-written and the nightmare sequences are good."

Enjoy!