Somewhere in the forest, an old man gave young Ivan Nekitaev a magical talisman meant to become the future ruler. From now on, Ivan will have to go through a lot: love for his sister, battles, governorship, and a consulship—all in order to become an emperor of the Russian Empire. Pavel Krusanov’s novel has received a variety of reactions from critics and readers, but in any case it is an excellent example of Russian dystopia and mystical realism. The book will appeal to fans of alternative history, mysticism, esotericism, and language experiments.