The novel duology “The Pretender” is an original interpretation of the events of the Time of Troubles of the 17th century. Troubles are always fertile ground for dizzying adventures and forbidden passion. At the center of the story is the mysterious figure of False Dmitry I, or Grishka Otrepyev, as well as his inner circle. Cossack ataman Andrei Korela, young commander Skopin-Shuisky, Polish hussar Stanislav Mnishek - all these are real historical figures, like Boris Godunov, Princess Ksenia, Marina Mnishek and many others. The fates of these people are intertwined with each other and with the fate of Russia so tightly that it is impossible to erase them from its history.