In the eastern part of Crimea, in Feodosia and Sudak, high up on the cliffs, remnants of ancient stone towers and walls have survived… These are the ruins of fortresses built by Genoese Italians in the 14th–15th centuries. “The Last Consul” tells the story of the last year of Genoese rule over the Crimean coastline—from autumn 1474 to autumn 1475. The novel historically and truthfully recreates the dramatic moment in the life of the Crimean fortress of Soldaia on the eve of its capture by the Turks, skillfully portraying the life and exploits of its defenders.