Word and Deed. Book One

«Word and Deed» — a large-scale historical-adventure novel by Valentin Pikul, dedicated to one of the most ambiguous and dramatic periods of Russian history — the era of Empress Anna Ioannovna's reign (1730–1740). The author recreates a broad panorama of post-Peter Russia: palace coups, court intrigues, the activities of the Secret Chancellery, the confrontation between the Russian nobility and the all-powerful favorite Biron. At the center of the narrative is the complex mechanism of power, the struggle of political forces, the morals of high society, and the everyday life of ordinary people.

Pikul combines documentary accuracy with a captivating plot: the reader immerses into the atmosphere of the era, where state conspiracies, diplomatic maneuvers, love stories, and cruel reprisals intertwine. 

The novel is characterized by its multifacetedness: dozens of historical and fictional characters, branching plot lines, and detailed descriptions of everyday life, politics, and military affairs. The work raises key questions: the cost of power, the role of personality in history, and the conflict of national and foreign influence.

«Word and Deed» is not just a chronicle of events — it is a profound exploration of the mechanisms of power and human nature in conditions of political instability.