Hard Labor

15 hrs. 31 min.

Language Russian

Author Valentin Pikul

Narrator Vladimir Sushkov

The novel reflects the gloomy pages of history of how Russian convicts were settled on the island of Sakhalin, and it also touches upon an episode of the Russo-Japanese War little known to most modern readers—the defense of Sakhalin in 1905 against Japanese invaders. The defense was held by a militia made mainly of convicts. It seemed, what need was there to defend a prison? But it was Russian land! And patriotic impulse prevailed. These detachments fought unequal battles against the Japanese who landed in the south and north of the island…

“… diplomats had already said their part in Portsmouth, Sakhalin officials had already landed in Odessa, refugees had already made their nests along the Amur—yet Sakhalin still shuddered from gunshots. The war continued; Russian patriots had not yet been subdued…"

1. Wealth (narrated by Alexander Bordukov) 2. Three Ages of Okini-San (narrated by Vsevolod Kuznetsov) 3. Cruisers (narrated by Ivan Litvinov) 4. Hard Labor 4. Hard Labour (narrated by Alexander Bordukov)