The book tells the story of the fate of a Russian serviceman who, due to circumstances during the fighting in the Caucasus, ends up captured by militants. He faces a difficult choice: accept Islam and gain the long-awaited freedom or die, but not betray the Orthodox faith. Army themes are closely intertwined with civilian life, which periodically appears on the pages of the novel in the form of the hero’s memories. These digressions help the reader better understand how his worldview was formed, how his character matured, tempered and strengthened. The novel consists of two parts. The first part is the study of a young soldier in a sergeant's school, the harsh life of the army, learning the basics of combat skills, friendship, mutual assistance... Part two is war, captivity and the moral choice of a hero, which not everyone can do.