Hard to Be a God

On a distant planet with a humanoid civilization whose representatives are surprisingly similar to humans, society is at a feudal stage of development—corresponding to the late Middle Ages on Earth.

There are also, unofficially, employees of Earth’s Institute of Experimental History—one of them is Anton. For the past five years he has been living in the state of Arkanar under the guise of a nobleman Don Rumata.

Recently, persecutions and murders of scientists and artists have begun in the country. Although the observers were given instructions not to interfere in the planet’s internal affairs, Anton saves several intellectuals from death by sending them to a safe place in neighboring states. However, other observers strongly advise him not to interfere further in the planet’s history…