Yermak

«Yermak» — this is a historical novel about a campaign that became one of the key themes in Russian prose about the exploration of Siberia. Evgeny Fyodorov refers to the events of the 16th century and shows not only the movement of the detachment beyond the Ural Mountains but also a significant historical shift: how new lands came into the orbit of the Russian state. The center here is not the legend of the invincible leader, but a vivid picture of the time with its warrior lifestyle, political calculations, and difficult decisions. The book is important for readers interested in the history of Russia without simplifications: with attention to people, power, the clash of interests, and the cost of great changes. The novel combines a large-scale historical canvas and a detailed narrative about the Cossack milieu.

The plot revolves around the campaign of a Cossack detachment led by Yermak Timofeyevich through the Ural Mountains into the territories of Khan Kuchum. A story unfolds before the reader about the advance into Siberia, where the military objective is linked to the interests of the Moscow authorities and the Stroganovs. The novel depicts the life of the Cossacks, their internal contradictions, the order of freedom, and the trials that await people in foreign lands. The text includes battles, political intrigues, and the clash of different peoples, cultures, and beliefs. This is a book about leadership, duty, and the price that ordinary people pay for the expansion of the state.

Evgeny Fyodorov — a Soviet writer and essayist, born in 1897 in the village of Vidzy in the Kovna province. The main theme of his work is historical prose about Russia, primarily the exploration of the Urals and Siberia, the development of industry, and the fates of the masses. He gained the most fame from the trilogy «Stone Belt» — «Demidovs», «Heirs», «Master of Stone Mountains». His books are valued for their interest in major historical processes and attention to the people who find themselves within these events.