In the 15th century, during the reign of Ivan III, the Russian traveler Afanasy Nikitin set off on a dangerous journey for trading purposes. His wandering lasted six years: “three times he lost all his money and five times he said farewell to life”—yet he left behind travel notes, “Walking for Three Seas,” a remarkable description of his expedition. The Tsar read this travel diary and sent young and energetic Pskov merchants “in Nikitin’s footsteps.” The novel “Amber Sakma” tells of their adventures in Central Asia and China.