The Cruel Century

A broad artistic canvas, crafted in the traditions of Russian realist prose. It recreates a vivid picture of Mongol life in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. At the center of the novel is the image of Temujin—Genghis Khan. Before the reader’s eyes, a personality is being destroyed. Revenge and malice, characteristic of Genghis Khan, grow sharper with the years. A desire to become the sole ruler of the universe drives him to ever more new, bloody conquests. Filling the novel with many characters, the writer allocated a significant place to common people, showing the suffering that this cruel age brought them; at the same time, he emphasized their strength, their will for freedom, and their drive to create.