Playing Against the Rules

In 1977, in Leningrad, young hockey player Aleksei Kasatkin is forced to play for the second team “Aurora,” which struggles for survival in the top league. His ambitions collide with harsh reality, shattering hopes for both career achievements and personal happiness. Aleksei’s life is full of intrigue, schemes, and difficult secrets, where betrayal of a beloved, the loss of friends, and the collapse of his career become his reality—like ice suddenly cracking under his feet.

Surviving hard times and not losing determination, Aleksei returns to hockey to lead the updated “Aurora,” to get a chance to protect his name, his team, and his country.

A book where sport, love, and mysterious events intertwine evokes a whole spectrum of emotions—from sadness and anger to hope and inspiration. The main character must answer an important question: how far can a person go to restore justice and find himself?