A precious book, the only one in its genre that reaches the level of Varlam Shalamov’s prose. The monstrosity of these stories is normal, we are used to it) - but this is great literature. It has nothing to do with science fiction, but it is in this book “Appendix One” - “The History of the Fall of the Netherlands from Spain” (written in co-authorship with L. Gumilyov in thieves’ language, but this only made it better). If there is great literature in this language, then this is an example of it. And since the true plot is completely mythologized (“...Bishops and princes plowed on Alba, counts and generals were six at headquarters, and whoever cheated, he cheated. He took the tallest in the Caudle to the wire... - etc.). And so you remember dialogue between Vaga Kolesa and Don Reba (“You can’t mess around with us”). In a word, I value this book at what I value it. It seems to me that it will outweigh all other books by the same author. Even taken together. The small publishing house “Prosvet” has developed and is publishing a series of books called “Crime and Punishment in World Practice.” The series will include at least twenty books telling about the history of penitentiary systems of all times and peoples. By studying them, the reader will be convinced that everything can be learned by comparison.