Friends of the Tsar

1917 — The Russian Revolution. Danger and chaos abound, and the aristocratic Zuckschwerdt and Orloff familys are desperate to escape to safety. Enter Blue, an Australian cattle-breeder with a big heart. Blessed by a heap of miracles from the Outback and beyond, he shares his gripping adventures with the snowed-in families. Blue has survived everything from bushfires to crocodile attacks. With wolves and winter nipping at their heels, the Zuckschwerdts prepare to depart for the lucky country. Plunged into hostilities and espionage in Petrograd, they make a break for the high seas, only to find themselves in a deadly game of bluff with a German U-boat skipper. Blue is in a predicament of his own when three of the Orloff daughters fall for his red earth charms. Will he find true love with one of them? And will his Aussie anecdotes help the family understand that awareness and preparation can spell the difference between life and death? As miracles begin to unfold, the Russian refugees discover the power of faith. Inspired by Jon de Graaff's personal experience and his grandparents' family history, 'Friends of the Tsar' is a thrilling tale. Spiked with humorous twists, tragic turns, perilous encounters, and life-saving lessons of survival, it offers spiritual insights into forgiveness and unconventional love.

1917 — The Russian Revolution. Danger and chaos abound, and the aristocratic Zuckschwerdt and Orloff familys are desperate to escape to safety. Enter Blue, an Australian cattle-breeder with a big heart. Blessed by a heap of miracles from the Outback and beyond, he shares his gripping adventures with the snowed-in families. Blue has survived everything from bushfires to crocodile attacks. With wolves and winter nipping at their heels, the Zuckschwerdts prepare to depart for the lucky country. Plunged into hostilities and espionage in Petrograd, they make a break for the high seas, only to find themselves in a deadly game of bluff with a German U-boat skipper. Blue is in a predicament of his own when three of the Orloff daughters fall for his red earth charms. Will he find true love with one of them? And will his Aussie anecdotes help the family understand that awareness and preparation can spell the difference between life and death? As miracles begin to unfold, the Russian refugees discover the power of faith. Inspired by Jon de Graaff's personal experience and his grandparents' family history, 'Friends of the Tsar' is a thrilling tale. Spiked with humorous twists, tragic turns, perilous encounters, and life-saving lessons of survival, it offers spiritual insights into forgiveness and unconventional love.

Jon de Graaff is a Brisbane-born man who suffered paraplegia twice in ten years from an army injury. Now living in Sydney, he loves camping, fishing, and adventuring in the great outdoors. With real life experience of many a miracle, Jon delivers hard-won wisdom on how to survive the dangers of the natural world. De Graaff was the co-winner of the 2003 Warwick Art Prize. 'Friends of the Tsar' is his first novel.