Arkady Babchenko is considered one of the founders of modern military prose. He went through two Chechen campaigns and knows well what he writes about. The war simply does not let go - as a war correspondent, Arkady Babchenko works on the fronts of South Ossetia-2008 and Ukraine-2014. His blog and Facebook posts evoke a sea of emotions. He is admired and hated. He is branded, and his integrity and professionalism are cited as an example. The collection “War” is a piercingly honest story about the everyday life of the Chechen war, about how it breaks the destinies of some people and reveals the virtues of others. Yes, there is heroism in war, but mostly it’s heavy with stuck clay, smelling of sweat and cheap vodka, lined with pain, hatred and fear, endless days. “War” is a work of fiction, although most of the events actually happened to the author. And exactly at this time. Black time of war.