The heroes of this book are prisoners, Russians and Swedes, who found themselves in the hands of the enemy during the Northern War of 1700-1721. Their destinies are stories of courage and betrayal, negotiations and exchanges, secret intelligence struggles and the struggle of individuals for survival; these are stories of quiet heroism not only of the military, but also of merchants, travelers, even women and children, whom the war found on foreign soil and made their hostages. The resilience of the Swedes, who were exiled to Siberia and managed not only to preserve their human appearance, but also to contribute to the study of undeveloped Russian lands, is inconceivable. The Russians' longing for their homeland is striking, their constant attempts to escape and - as the crown of this desire - the escape of unarmed prisoners who captured a Swedish ship and managed, without knowing maritime affairs, to reach their native shores across the entire Baltic...Galina Shebaldina - Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of History Russia of the Middle Ages and early modern times, Russian State University for the Humanities.