All Comments on 'Mausefalle'

who knows.....who cares,,,,,,,NO ONE OF IMPORTANCE. tk u mlj lv nv

As a amateur WW2 buff myself , this hits right in my personal wheelhouse. Loved it !

Everyone who reads this author here should understand how privileged they are to be able to enjoy this natural talent for free as he is definitely Professional grade !

Thank you for sharing this with us.

5*'s

Thanks for sharing.

always puts me into a trance. Wonderful writing, and your tremendous commitment to research shines through, as always. Thanks for sharing, Todd.

Thank you.

An entrancing story of horror, emerging into life and love. Most excellent. Many thanks, Randi.

... I want to write as well as Todd.

Great story from start to end.

Amazing.

Well done. Todd, you did a magnificent job with this.

Such an powerful piece. The combat section are exceptional. Modern expressions slipped in at couple places but not jarringly so. Left me wanting more which is my measure of a story. Well deserved 5 stars from me.

And not just on Literotica. You name it, I've read it. Short, medium, and long works... Fiction and non-fiction... Poetry... All genres...

This is one I will shortcut and re-read, just to savor the images it puts into my head.

a) in 1942 nobody, not even Russians, would've said "Kaliningrad" as that name wasn't invented until 1946. Until then it was "Königsberg".

b) until the region was taken by the Soviets there were almost no native Russian speakers in East Prussia - the population was mostly German with large Polish and Lithuanian minorities

Other than that I liked the story and I will check out some other stories of yours.

Greetings, G

Whenever I see an email with a new story from Todd, I know the editing will be tough because I keep reading the story when I should be editing!

Extra kudos for submitting TWO stories!

I don't usually read in the romance section but this story transcends the usual "romance" stories. Now, that's just me, I don't knock anyone who reads in this section. The history was pretty accurate, as far as I could tell and the thread was compelling. Thanks for sharing this with us and don't listen to the ones who tell you that you are too good to be writing on this site. I like you here just fine.

pappy

I wonder how much longer Todd will be sharing his material with us before he figures out that a talent like his should be available commercially. Mausefalle is a great story that easily handles the back-and-forth of a flashback approach. The characters seem real, and the narrative is compelling.

I am blessed, two stories at one time. As always a great read, thank you.

are one of only 3 writers, whose pages I checked every day religiously, for any updates. I am guaranteed a good story everytime you post a new one.

I can sum it up in three words; vibrant engaing and immersive. Todd172's stories never lack for danger and excitement and this is one is no exception. And his reseach really shows too. This story has all the hallmarks of a great.

5*

Thanks for great read.

Love your writing. This story shows your continuing excellence as a writer. I really enjoy your writing. You were able to pull historical events into a great story.

I appreciate all the support from the readers as well as other writers. I can't say that enough. I don't want that to sound canned; I really mean it.

Major Kornilov has been been in my head for a long time and it really felt good to finally let her loose. To me she has always been a fascinating idea in a complicated time and place.

Thanks again - all of you are amazing.

Todd172

Giving Mausefalle five stars is an insult to this story; it merits so much more. All of Todd172's stories are outstanding, but this exceeds even his high standards; gripping and enthralling, with Maus one of your finest characters (amongst so many). Thank you, thank you for gifting us your tales.

I feel very privileged, two of your stories in the same weekend. Oh, what a weekend. A five does not give this story justice, so along with my 5, I will include a very sincere Thank You to you and the missus.

As a soldier and military history aficionado this drew me in.

A great story.

Dick

A fantastic story, another excellent contribution. Not only did it hold my interest but the historical element puts it in a different universe.

Thank you again.

Normally I dislike skipping from past to present in stories.

How do you write so well and why are you not making tons of money from it?

This story is deserving of more than 5*, it really is too good to be free.

Thank you so much for posting your absolute gems here for us.

Excellent story, well written and grabs the reader by the throat! It was not until near the end that the clues began to fit together. As a retired soldier and a historian I was fascinated with your tale. Well researched and accurate. I will be reading more of your works. Thank you for sharing your story and talent! Chuck

...and so well written. Tremendous, I loved every word. Thanks for doing all the necessary research and work involved in writing such a wonderful piece of 'factual-fiction'. Absolutely the finest, thanks for submitting.

You've really outdone yourself with this one, Todd! I agree with others who feel like Mausi is one of the best characters you've ever created -- and you've created many memorable characters in your amazing body of work here.

Thank you many times over for all you've contributed to us, your grateful fans, here on Lit! Now I'm headed off to read the OTHER story you posted for MMT day....

Very good indeed. You obviously pride yourself on your research, so one minor historical correction:

The Junker class were nobles in Brandenburg , Pomerania, and East Prussia. These families had a strong connection to the Prussian army. The Fuchs manor in the story is described as being in the Black Forest. This is on the other side of Germany from the eastern provinces where the Junker families lived. While not impossible that a Junker family would own a manor in the Black Forest, this seems to be the family's home place: if so the family would not be Junkers.

Again, good job!

This is really a different story that held my attention from the beginning to end.

This story manages to weave a hopeful romance into the stark horror of one of the most brutal battles of WWII and the ruthless political power struggles of post-Stalin era. The simple classifications and ratings of Literotica don't do this work justice.

This is a truly brilliant story — a wonderful combination of historical research combined with a story that reaches for the depths of both human depravity and human love. I'm hard pressed to think of another story that is even in the same league with this one. As well done as your other tales have been, this is a new height!

That was absolutely amazing! I could say much more but it would just be more hyperbole and repetitive. I would say the plot could be a movie but they'd just fuck it up. I'll enjoy it here again and again as I wait patiently for Todd's next effort.

You've written another winner. Absolutely first rate!!! Sucked me in from the very first and was sorry to see the joyride end. Please keep the quality writing going. SF VET

Have not been overly impressed with the Magical Mystery Tour series so far, even with established authors. Many (unfortunately) seem to be hurried and leave you hanging. This opinion may change as I work down the read list. BUT, I do appreciate their efforts. Todd172 is definitely in a writing class above the others.

I knew you were good, but this is next level. Thank you for this tale.

Without doubt the best work of the event and one of your best. Not only the setting was clearly well documented, it actually have relevance on the story, the transitions between past and present were natural and Mause was a great lead character, and the historical setting of the Eastern Front, specially the depiction of the Hell on Earth that was Stalingrad were amazing, also the early years of the Cold War all top nocht.

Thank you for sharing this jewel.

Dead mice can cause a lot of problems, But live ones? I had to admit that it was difficult to believe that she waited another ten years to go to her lover permanently.

The Red Army must of had most of its paper work destroyed,

I just dont know what to say. This story is in fact even better than the other one done for Magical Mystery Tour, and that was a 5*. You just know how to write in a way that is accessible and deliciously engaging. Thx for sharing your talent here.

Great writing, great story, a mystery, flawless editing, not a flaw anywhere in this story.

Where are the sixth AND seventh stars when you need them?

Loved this story.

Really beyond exceptional. You spin a wonderful, believable tale. Five Stars is not enough for this one. Thank you for it.

Best story I've read on this site.

Thank you.

Todd172 for the win. Writes the best stuff ever.

I got so wrapped up in the Tractor Works that I forgot about the mystery. The political backdrop of Kruschev's ascent to power was excellent. Hard to believe that the sex trade from Eastern Europe and former USSR goes back so far essentially unchanged. (Figure the Jannissaries were shopping Slav girls in Alexandria, too) Great work. Thanks for writing. 5 stars. JPR

Enjoyed this story a lot. Loved the historical perspective and the romance during one of the bleakest points of human history.

Congratulations on the courage of marrying the two.

Thank you.

Do more. Do as well.

Well done

Well done and thank you for this gem

Excellent job. I look forward to more of your work.

I have read many, many stories on this website, but have never been moved, no matter how good the story, to leave a comment. That changed with this one. Absolutely, amazing! As a history major, WWII and Cold War history buff, and a military officer, I was enthralled from start to finish. I can’t wait to read your other stories and hope that one day you choose to make this your full time occupation. You certainly have the talent.

Respectfully,

Brad

I have never read a story like this on here. This is something you would expect to read at a bookstore. You are a gifted writer

But since I am a history teacher and my last name is Junker I will shoot straight from the hip.

Tom Clancy wished he could write this! You had some flaws that an additional 500 pages might have cured. I gladlly would have read them. How Mausi got looped into tbe Beria clan under the patronage of Kruschev was a bit difficult to follow. You spent more time descibing an imbecillic Zampolit who hated White Russian appellations than you did the key to the entire story. I am really pissed at sbrooks for not scathing you.

Since my family comes from Prussia I listened hard to the arguments about Koënigsburg and native Russian speaker in Bavaria. One anachronism surely, the second very much a reach.

By my count 23 writers showcased themselves in the MMT. Because I am a bit anal and tardy I read them in alphabetical order from Randi's page which I bookmarked. Only 2 were not to my liking. Most got 5's. This read rates a 6. Your dialogue rings truer than even Moon Girl, your plot is as sound as Lap Top, your pace equals that of JPB and the humour of HDK is there as well.

You rock Todd and I was immediately drawn to compare you to authors who I have spent hundreds of dollars supporting. Not only do you rank among them...in many ways you rank above them. Thank you for practicing your craft here. You are very much appreciated.

Very well crafted story with smooth flow.

I had to read it twice to understand all of the events and catch all the details. Such a wonderful read! Kudos!

I immediately flash back to William Craig’s Enemy at the Gates, my first exposure to the story of the terrible battle of Stalingrad as a college student. The few pages from the book illuminating the exploits of Vassili Zaitsev were of course the seed for the film of the same name (sorry - I couldn’t help picturing Rachel Weiss as Natalya). Then I had the great pleasure of stumbling upon “The Death of Stalin”, the 2017 darkly satirical movie, and I remembered I’d bookmarked your “Mausefalle” and got distracted and didn’t get back to read it until tonight. Thank you for wonderful story. I, like others think this would make a wonderful fully fleshed out historical novel.

I have in my reading queue Ruta Sepetys’ Salt to Sea, a novelized version of the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, upon which rode East Prussians evacuees including members of my wife’s extended family. I am still amazed at the depth of animosity aimed at the Russians still evident seventy+ years later in conversations with my in laws. So your cross cultural romance is an appreciated message. But then again, that’s a theme repeated in many of your stories. (T.J and Tammi from St. Clair are still my favorite story from you).

I just loved this story, Todd. I can see how much work went into researching and writing it. Great job!

There is more historical detail here than I have ever seen in a Literotica story. I just ate it up, and I'm sure you taught more than a few readers something they didn't know about the Soviet Union in this crucial period. I know that I wasn't aware of the human remains found in Beria's former residence after it became the Tunisian embassy.

I now feel motivated to go out and buy a bottle of Kirschwasser. Can you recommend one that doesn't taste like lighter fluid and cherry lifesavers?

One comment though, and my apologies if someone has brought this to your attention before. While Kurt and Natalya Oksana are trapped in the ruins of December 1942 Stalingrad, he tells her that he learned Russian from a nurse from Kaliningrad. This could not be, that name did not exist until 1946.. Until the fall of Germany in 1945, its name was Königsberg, the capital of the former German territory of East Prussia. The northern part of this territory went to Russia after the war, including Königsberg. The name wasn't changed until Mikhail Kalinin died in 1946..

That one nit-pick aside, thanks for a truly wonderful story!

Matt

If a surname is of a "simple Russian" type, i.e. ends in "-ov" or "-in" or "-skiy", then it's conjugated with a feminine suffix if borne by a female; so, while the White Russian general was indeed Kornilov, the protagonist of this story would've been Kornilova.

(That was the most obtrusive and repeated error, but not the only error.)

Took the trouble to point this out, because I know you take such great pains with accuracy when it comes to all the details: historical facts, firearms, evasive driving maneuvers, etc. I recognize and respect a top-notch craftsman who takes justifiable pride in his work, and I reckon you would keenly want know about any flaws.

Cheers!

Man O’ Man, what a narrative. You should and will be in a best sellers list. Thanks for keeping me on edge throughout.

I agree with comments previously made with reference to 'Enemy at the Gates', which is a film I really enjoyed, and yes I really enjoyed this story as well.

Thank you once again and more power to your elbow

I really enjoyed this story. It was obvious that the author did a lot of research on the political scene in the USSR in the late 40’s and early 50’s. One personal comment concerning the author’s “Armory” list at the end of the story. One weapon was left out, one that barely got a mention in the story. The “S mine”. For my money, the most evil weapon ever devised for use against ground troops. In Vietnam we called it a “Bouncing Betty”. Of course they were a Chinese variant of the original, but one sunny day in February of 1969 one of those damn things killed six members of my squad in an instant. Anyway, a great story.

for yet another well-written story! You really have the gift!

And thank you also for making the research and taking time to explain some of the military terms.

But that's also why I take the chance to correct you in a couple of things, to make your stories even better. ;)

The feminine forms of Russian surnames usually end with "-a", so our little Maus would have been Kornilova.

And this I had to check because they didn't feel right, but saw that my suspicion was correct: two of the guns mentioned are "Papasha" (without "r") and "Tokarev".

Oh, and in Russian, it would've been "Major Militsii".

I find you stories very entertaining. Even the short 2 page stories read like novels.

Thank You!

Out fucking standing

Have read this several times, and each time I read it, I enjoy it more. Keep up the good work.

...characters I'm familiar with (born in Ukraine August 1940, widowed mother and I fled westward to Innsbruck by 1945, grade one in a new language, one of several, English the most recent, 1956).

Might even read it again, after going through the rest of your work.

Was surprised to read ̈allowed to breath” in the story. Puzzled as to why so many lit authors have a problem distinguishing between the verb ́to breathe ́ and the noun ́breath ́. Seemingly the most misspelled words on the site.

Transliteration of the Russian surname Токарев into the latin alphabet (but only for clumsy English) is Tokarev, not Tokerav. I ́m surprised that edit(s) didn't catch this. The Tokarev semi-auto pistol, though old, is well known.

Well done. 5 stars.

... Major Kornilova (feminine ending)?

Suggest googling "Nancy Wake", absolutely enthralling story of her exploits, and all true, in WW11.

Brilliant! So original, so tasty, so fun. Thank you!

Just tremendous! You are an writer of incredible versatility. You’ve managed to tell a compelling war story in such a way that your readers have become observers in the drama! Very well done, Todd! Thank you!

Re-read it again and it's still one of the best stories on this site.

Another great story blending a romance while recaping on the horrors of Stalingrad. I was so wrapped up in the details I missed the clues. Just simply great story telling.

Please somebody make a movie out of this

Wow. That was an in-*fucking*-mazing story. A Stalingrad romance is about as unlikely a premise as...maybe...shit. I can't think of an unlikelier premise, so "Stalingrad romance" is the winner. Even better, you tackled the world's unlikeliest premise (as proven by science! in the preceding sentence) and pulled it off with style. Nice job.

I was going to complain (very slightly and in a pleasant tone) about not using gendered Russian surnames because every time you called her Kornilov instead of Kornilova it knocked me a bit out of the narrative flow, but I decided not to bring it up because that would be nitpicky. Also, some other people already pointed it out. So {waving hands in a distracting manner} I never mentioned it at all.

Again, you did an a-*fucking*-credible job on this. 5^5 stars!

would make one hell of a movie,great story.

For those who want to throw their money at todd here is a comment that he put in a place where very few would read it.

We have novelized the first three Needles and Delaney stories into an ebook on Amazon, titled, originally enough as "Needles and Delaney." We did that partly because so many have asked us to, partly because it was just something new to do, and partly as to protect the work - there are people who skim sites for stories then publish them as ebooks under false names. Some of the real heavy hitters here have had that happen to them.

Doc Spirit 3

You are my favorite author. There are soooo many good authors here. I'd like longer stories but I am NOT complaining. What you and the other great authors do is to write about people rather than action, events, or settings. Good stories need all the elements but great stories are where the readers empathize with the characters. Bravo. Or, as a Navy vet, BZ.

Awesome!! I am a 24-year Marine and a military history buff. This is really good stuff!

i wish i could award more stars.

You had me reading back and forth just to savour that ending. Well done, You should write novels, man, if you're not already published.

Tokerov TT-33???

it's tokarev.

Exceptional

5 stars is not enough for the caliber of this story. Wow!!

For those commenting about the feminine surname, the soviet records list a young woman by the name of Natasha Kornilov, no terminal "A". If one assumes the soviet bureaucracy knows russian language and spelling, one may assume they got it right. The young woman in the record was obviously different than the one in this tale. She was eleven years of age....

Marvelous. Very well crafted. Thank you for a truly lovely tale and a crazy romance.

Thank you for a deeply amazing story of der Fuchs and Die Maus. Tears are so appropriate in the midst of war. Again, you have me crying. I just loved the story and, especially, the characters.

If I remember my. history lessons correctly, General Winter put paid to Napoleon's army as efficiently.

Thank you and the Missus for your stellar work!!

Hannah

I just read about the Russian sniper Irena Starikova “Bagehra” snd immediately thought of Maus. Too eerie. Life imitating art?

Just wonderful! Your talent, imagination and skill are aim on full display in this story. A love story between two sworn enemies- Amazing!

I have read your stories so many times. This one is magnificent. The plot, the characters, the wit, the writing... Just magnificent. Thank you, Todd.

As a student of World War 2, and one who followed the political upheavals of the USSR in the 50's, I enjoyed you historical tale greatly.

The Hoary Cleric

PS Obviously a 5+

Quite frankly, this is brilliant work, the grit and realism of Stalingrad is there in spades, plus the political shenanigans and the power struggle following Stalins death were written well too, I confess to watching “Death of Stalin” and then reading up on the actual events, this provides more fictitious colour to that but based in reality. The character build of “Maus” is a lesson in less is more, you’ve captured her mindset really well, I’ll have to read the Embassy meet again after this to see what I missed the first time, fantastic story.

Many thanks for writing and posting, cheers Ppfzz. 5⭐️++

Great story. You really outdo yourself with the historical as well as the technical research needed to give your stories that reach out and grab you quality. Thank you

This was a fantastic work. Your historical background foundation brought stark realism to this story. More, it shows that even the most horrific conditions and action human beings bring against each other, even then, a spark of human decency and love can still bring the light.

THANK YOU!

Anothrt wonderful story.

I visited the war museum in Moscow and it was the first time I realized the scope of the war from the Russian point of view.

Thank you for the history lesson and the wonderful love story.

Fantastic story, well written, really enjoyed it.

Simon_Masters

Excellent work. I have studied & researched WWII from 1937- 1946. U.S. schools have always just skimmed over the history regarding the fighting in Stalingrad and Leningrad. Excellent story! I really enjoyed this story.

I thought the Shack stories were great but this story is outstanding. It was sad to read that the real Natalya and Roza were actually killed by criminals. I liked the happy ever after ending of the story much better. I think this is one of the best by Todd172. Thank you for the research and effort put in to make such a moving story, sorry I can only give it five stars.

I believe this is the 3rd time I’ve read this story, and it just gets better with time. I suppose one of the attractions for me is that in the west we have historically worked so very hard to minimize Russia’s impact on the 2nd world war. Partly that is the prevailing view of our neighbours to the south that they won the war single handed, and everyone else just play supporting roles to the Hollywood myth. Barbarossa decimated the Wehrmacht, allowing for the combined American, British, and Canadian landings in Normandy. Of the total German army casualties during the war, over 2/3 were in the ill-considered attack on the Soviet Union. The Russians bled the German army white while the western allies waited patiently, hoping that as long as we sent them the arms they needed they would be willing to absorb the losses we couldn’t stomach. Yes, Stalin was probably as bad or worse than Hitler, but that does not alter the reality of what Stalingrad and Kursk did to the Nazi ability to prosecute the war. Today in the Ukraine we in the west are willing to deliver materials of war to allow the Ukrainians to fight Putin on our behalf. Different? Yes, of course, we have not declared war, but then the US didn’t in WW2 until the end of 1941 either…