In March 1917, a few months before the October Revolution, Tsar Nicholas II of the Romanov dynasty was forced to abdicate the throne. From that moment until the execution of Nicholas and his family in July 1918, a dramatic story unfolded. Robert Service provides us with the chronicle of these eighteen months and describes everything that transpired in the various places of "confinement," in a tightening circle that became increasingly narrower day by day. The great British historian of Russia studied archives, diaries, and correspondence in depth: the result is a chronicle of a fall set against the backdrop of the major events of the early 20th century - World War I, the February Revolution, the October Revolution.

"The Last Tsar" is the portrait of a fateful ruler but also an introduction to the history of Russia and the Soviet Union. The story narrated by Robert Service is a multifaceted one: apart from the main characters - members of the imperial family, politicians, and revolutionaries - ordinary Russian citizens, followers of the Romanovs, friends, and enemies appear; their often tragic fate completes this great historical fresco.